A New Knight
by lizzyleefree
Summary: Sequel to "Is He My Joke, My Knight, or My Brother?" It has been 2 years since PB has seen Finn, but when she does, she wonders if the he's the same Finn she once knew. Also, who is Marceline's new love interest? Note: Necronal has started a continuation of this story called "Knight Fall." Check it out if you want to see this story continue!
1. Chapter 1

Two years of my life had been devoted to finding a cure for my mother's condition, and I had never had such a dismal lack of progress in any previous scientific undertaking. I'd tried every method I knew, and several ones I'd invented. I pumped a slide of her cells full of zanoids to see if they grew. I exposed another slide to a beneficial mutation of the formula I used to turn candy people into zombies. I made her a tiny head dress with growing properties and gave her a whopping love hug. I built a stretching machine. Nothing worked.

I had to keep trying even harder than I was before, though (if that was even possible). Now, not only was my mother running out of time, but so was I.

Unless I could find a cure within the next month, I would have to marry the Ice King.

I thought about when Gunter waddled into my castle the previous day. I had no idea how he got in, but I later found all my guards tied up. Apparently he was a black belt penguin.

"Quaaa!" he squawked, handing me an envelope.

Knowing it was from the Ice King, I rolled my eyes and tore open the envelope. In loopy calligraphy that shimmered like ice was a wedding invitation. To my own wedding!

I threw it aside and walked back towards my lab, "I don't have time for this! Tell your master that he's out of his flippin' psycho mind and to leave me alone!"

"Oh, I wouldn't reject me so quickly if I were you…" said the excited, croaking, mad voice of the Ice King behind me.

I whirled around to see him floating in my window and yelled, "Oh yeah? And why is that, you creeper?"

He nonchalantly examined his fingernails and said slyly, "Because, Princess, I have something that you desperately want- and the only way I'll give it to you is if you give _it_ to me." His eyes lingered on the lower half of my body.

I shuddered and threw Gunter at him, who let out a soft squawk of surprise, "_Nothing_ you could offer me would make me want to marry you, Ice King! What are you gonna do- keep me in a slightly bigger cage? Have your place smell less like penguins? Actually wear pants every once in a while? Yeah, no thanks."

"No!" he shouted defensively, "Although I suppose all those things could be arranged if you like that sort of stuff…"

"Whatevs, bye Ice King." I waved and started to walk up the stairs. His next words stopped me, though.

"I have a cure for your mother." he said slowly.

Without turning I said, "You're lying. How would you have it? I've been looking for it for 2 years."

"You've been looking in the wrong places, Princess."

"And what are the right places?" I asked, smiling at him sweetly when I turned around.

He gave a loud, maniacal laugh, "Like I'm going to tell you that! Look, just marry me and I'll give it to her."

"Forget it!" I shouted, slashing my hand through the air, "I'll find the cure myself!"

"I thought you cared for your mother. I heard she's running out of time."

I was speechless. He was right. Just this morning when I saw her she could barely sit up. What good was I doing in my research? Nothing. If I did marry the Ice King it might just make the difference if she lived or died.

He could see my resolve disintegrating, flew towards me, and brought my chin up with his cold, sharp fingers. I was forced to look into the mad, controlling smile that bore into me. I thought about the eyes I'd rather be looking into. How many times had I thought about Finn's smiling blue eyes someday looking at me again? He would be very hurt by the decision I was about to make, but I didn't even know if he was still alive. It had been 6 months since I received a letter from him.

I jerked my head out of the Ice King's grasp as tears pooled up in my eyes.

"I accept your proposal, Ice King." I said flatly.

"Wonderful!" he floated up clapping joyously, oblivious to my grief. "I'll prepare my kingdom and we will be wed in one month!"

"Ok, fine, just give my mom the cure!"

"Nuh-uh, Princess, not so fast!" he said, waggling his finger at me, "If I do it now you'll find some way to get away from me. Your mom can last another month."

I breathed rapidly as tears fell from my face. It took all of my restraint not to strangle him.

"Until our wedding night, Princess." he whispered, blowing a kiss towards me. Then he was gone.

I fell to my knees in the dark tower, paralyzed with dread. I didn't let myself to wallow in self-pity too long, though. I had to return to the lab and work twice as hard to find a cure. That was the only way out.

I would have given anything for a letter from Finn that day.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: The Hooded Hero**

_Author's note: so, today I had a mild confrontation with my neighbor involving Adventure Time._

_Me: I got these new comic books in the mail and I'm SOOO stoked to read them!_

_Neighbor: Oh yeah? What comic?_

_Me: Adventure Time!_

_Neighbor: Seriously? Why do you like that show?_

_Me: It's so good! I love post-apocalyptic settings and it has a lot of deep themes for a cartoon!_

_Neighbor: Ugh, I just don't know why people have a fascination for cartoons with crappy animation._

_Me: Well, I like it. I think the animation is whimsical._

_While what I was really thinking was __**"I HAVE LOST ALL RESPECT FOR YOU!"**_

I paced back and forth that night and finally sat down to write Finn one last letter. I had tried to write him so many times without response, but I had never needed his help as much as I did now. If he was getting them at all, then surely he would find a way to come.

"_Dearest Finn,_

_I am engaged to the Ice King. Please come and help me find a way out of this. He says he has the cure to my mother's curse and I do not think she can last until the end of the year without it. I know that you are in Aaa, but I feel so alone right now and my research is getting me nowhere._

_I think of you every day and hope to glob that you are alive and safe. Please, come back to Ooo and help me. I know you promised to come back for me, but if you wait any longer then it will be too late for you to do that._

_Love, Bonnibelle Bubblegum"_

I kissed the letter softly, folded it closed, and attached it to the foot of one of the most trusted royal delivery birds. I watched her fly away until she was just a speck in the sky.

I tried for the next few days to concentrate in my lab, but it was little use. The words of the Ice king kept bouncing around in my head- _You've been looking in the wrong places, Princess. _I didn't know where else to look, but I had finally come to the conclusion that, if there was an answer, I couldn't find it in my lab.

I had to get some help. I ran up to the top of my tower and summoned The Morrow. The gigantic hawk landed swiftly on the roof and I directed her to take me to Finn and Jake's old tree house, where Marceline and an unidentified roommate were house-sitting indefinitely. I had not seen Marceline often lately, but I hadn't been to the tree house ever since I left for Aaa from it with Finn years ago.

My heart gave a certain lurch as I dismounted The Morrow and approached the door. I kept telling myself that Marceline would be the one answering the door, not Finn. I gave 3 knocks and waited. I noticed little scorch marks and scratches on the outside of the house. I frowned because I'd hoped Marceline would have taken better care of her friends' house than this.

The door swung open and Marceline gave me a lazy smile as she leaned against the door frame, "Hey, there, Bonni. Long time no see. Come to invite me to the _wedding?_"

I felt sick to my stomach, "Ugh, how did you know about that?"

"Please, the whole kingdom knows. That gross old man has been personally delivering invitations to everyone in Ooo." I rolled my eyes. I should have figured, since he delivered one to me, too. "Of course, _I_ didn't get and invite. I guess I kind of freak him out." Marceline stuck her fangs out and gave a distant, sinister grin thinking of the Ice King.

"Well, I'm SOOO sorry you didn't get included for the plans to my _special_ day." I spat as I pushed her face aside and walked inside the house.

She hissed softly, "Oooo, little pinky is feeling feisty!" I glared at her, regretting coming to ask her for help. "What do you want, PB? I know you didn't just come here to gloat about your happy wedding plans."

"Stop acting like I want this!" I shouted. I had a very short fuse these days, "The Ice King is the last thing I want to talk about!"

"Well, then, what is it?" she yelled impatiently. "I have band practice in an hour!"

"Well, first, where is that roommate of yours?" I teased.

Marceline rolled her eyes, "Wow, you have been out of touch. She moved out a year ago."

"Really? Why?"

"She had even more daddy issues than I did."

"Oh, well, I'm sorry it didn't work out…"

"Don't be. She was crazy." Marceline walked over to the fridge and pulled out a bowl of the very reddest tomatoes, "And don't go on your little pity party about me living alone. I like it that way, and I probably party more than you do, anyway. Seriously, did you even brush your hair today?"

I touched my matted, frizzy hair. I had not done anything with it ever since the Ice King's visit. Marceline often went days without brushing her hair, but I really couldn't pull the look off as well. I blushed, but didn't say anything. I'd have to start being nice if she was to help me. She gave me a mildly amused smirk before she began to drain the color out of the first tomato until it was shriveled and gray.

"Please, Marceline, I need a cure for my mother." I pleaded.

"What makes you think I'd have that? I'm not a witch."

"Well, I know, but the Ice King says I've been looking in the wrong places. You've travelled all over the world for hundreds of years, so I was hoping you could help me deduce where I need to look to-"

"Wait, Bonni, all this time you've been trying to find the cure by- HISSS!" Marceline recoiled and shielded her skin with her hair as the window to the tree house flew open, drenching her in sunlight.

I ran in front of her to block the rays and looked up just in time to see the Ice King flapping the locks of his beard as he floated in the window.

"Schnookums!" he said, making a kissy face at me, "I've finally found you! Ready to get married?"

"What? No!" I shouted, "Don't you have a calendar? You're three weeks early!"

"Well," he shrugged, "I thought it would take a month to deliver the invitations to all my friends, but it turns out I don't have any friends. Aren't you excited that soon you get to honeymoon with all of _this?"_

He lifted up his blue man-dress thingie and rubbed his thigh suggestively. I made an involuntary gagging noise.

"Well, as an added bonus, your mom gets the cure sooner!" he said.

My face softened. He was right- so much for Finn responding to that letter.

"Ok, time to get hitched!" he cackled and hoisted me up by my wrist. I looked down when I heard the ear-piercing, shrill hiss of Marceline leaping towards the Ice King.

Her hands just missed him and she curled into the fetal position. The seams of her clothes popped along her spine and tufts of hair and muscle were all that was visible of my sweet, rough friend. The Ice King flew me higher and higher away from the floor, but Marceline was rapidly growing at the same rate.

I felt a jolt from above me and looked up to see the Ice King shooting a jet of ice and destroying the roof. I was expecting sunlight to flood in, but instead the sky was filled with a mass of storm clouds so thick and dark that I couldn't even tell it was daytime. That didn't make any sense; less than 5 minutes ago there wasn't a cloud in the sky.

A roar erupted from below us so loud that I felt my bones rattle. I looked down to see Marceline in bat-monster form, at least as big as the tree house. Her eyes glowed red with the brightness of the sun and her slitted nostrils breathed rapidly in rage before she spread her massive, tattered wings and launched into the sky after us.

I let out a shrill scream at the sight of her. I know she was doing all of this to save me, but I had never seen her so intense before. Ice King's speed was no match for hers. In a manner of seconds she was caught up with us. Darkness closed around me as I was cupped in the leathery skin of her clawed hands.

I peeked out from her fingers to try and see what was going on. All I could see at first was the clouds, which actually weren't clouds at all. They were bats- _millions_ of shrieking, flapping, black, furry bats. Where had Marceline summoned all of these creatures from and how much of her power did she use to do it? I didn't even know she could summon bats, much less enough to darken the entire sky!

I heard ice shattering, shouts, and hisses coming from all sides of me, but I couldn't tell who was winning. I knew Marceline could easily kill the Ice King in this state. Suddenly I realized that she would then be killing Mama, too.

"NOOO! Marceline, STOP!" I shouted.

I licked 2 locks of my hair enough to make it sticky and used it to climb up the inside of Marceline's hand until I could poke my head out of the top of her fist. The first thing I saw was a bolt of ice shatter against her face. She shook her head and let out a rumbling growl.

"Marceline!" my voice was drowned out by the sounds of the fight and the shrieking of the bats.

The hand that wasn't holding me swatted at the Ice King like he was a fly. He swooped evasively out of every strike, sticking his tongue out and blowing raspberries every time she missed. Holding on to me was a major handicap in her fighting, but she wasn't about to put me down.

"Ohh, what is it?" he taunted, "Is the Vampire Queen getting tired? Poooor baby!"

She let out an ear piercing screech and shot through the air so fast I almost threw up my lunch. Her hand whipped through the air as she snatched the Ice King mid-flight and popped him in her mouth. I heard the sickening crunch of a few of his ribs slowly break followed by his screams.

Finally she looked at me with those gigantic glowing eyes before making the last fatal bite, like she was asking my permission to kill him.

"DON'T KILL HIM!" I shouted desperately, glad she was finally listening to me, "He says he has the cure! That's why I'm marrying him!"

Her eyebrows turned upward and she frowned, like she was a little disappointed. Calmly, she reached into her mouth and plucked out the Ice King, but then carefully took his crown off his head and swallowed it.

"My powers!" he moaned weakly.

Marceline shrank rapidly and the bats started bursting all around us into colorful streamers, letting out pained cries. She laid there unconscious in the broad daylight. I could see burn marks spreading across her skin with a sizzle. My eyes filled with angry tears. Had she used up all her power just to be able to save me from a marriage that I was going to go through with, anyway?

"MARCELINE!" I cried. I ran over to her, lifting her up. I never thought I would have been able to do that, but I've heard adrenaline makes people do crazy things.

The Ice King hobbled over to me and wordlessly held his arms out to take her. "Are you nuts?" I cried, "You'll just try to kill her!"

I ran inside the tree house with Marceline and behind me I heard him say quietly, "I never wanted to kill anybody. I just want someone to love me…"

Whatever. I didn't have time for his self-centered melodrama. The roof to the living room filled with treasure was demolished, so I tossed Marceline into the bucket-pulley system Finn and Jake installed for large hauls of food and raised her up to the 2nd floor. The Ice king caught up with me and I let him help me get her into the bedroom.

After we'd laid her gently on the bed I directed Ice King to go get wet washcloths to put on her skin to cool it down. He nodded and wordlessly went to the kitchen. Sometimes I didn't understand him. He did all this messed up stuff, but even though he was our enemy, we were his closest thing to friends. It was just…sad.

I placed my fingers on Marceline's cheeks and gently patted them. Her eyes fluttered open and she said in a weak voice, "Hey, Bonni. You're still here." A faint smile spread on her face.

"Of course I am! I couldn't just let you die!" I pulled her head up into my lap and held her close to me.

She snickered, "Well, that was nice of you. At least I know you care about me that much."

"What are you talking about? Why did you exhaust yourself like that? You know that you didn't need to use that much power to defeat the Ice King."

"Well," she coughed softly, "I did have to summon enough bats to make the sky dark in order to follow you guys. Once I use that much power it's kind of hard to control it. I was just so angry."

I suddenly felt very embarrassed. I never would have guessed me getting married would be so emotional to her even still. "Marceline, I-"

"I got the washcloths!" shouted Ice King triumphantly, holding the dripping, dirty towels up.

"Ok, good, bring them over." I said.

"Alright." he said, smiling so big you'd think we were doing some globbed up crafts project together.

We placed the clothes gently over all of the scorched vampire's skin. She smiled and let out a relieved sigh, "I'm feeling better already. Thanks."

"See, this is nice. We'll work together like this when we're husband and wife." said the Ice King, with a major-creepy smile on his face.

"Why did you try to do this alone, Bonni?" asked Marceline sharply.

"What?" I asked, perplexed at her change in mood.

"Find the cure? Why didn't you ask me for help earlier? I would have looked with you."

"Well, I'm sorry. We were both just so busy and I was trying to keep her illness discreet. I didn't want there to be any kidnapping or assassination attempts. Besides, Gumball's entire kingdom looked for years and that didn't work."

"I already knew about it, though. I could have helped you. I just don't know why you'll marry this spaz who says he has the cure over just talking to me again."

Ice King interjected, "Hey! I'm not a spa-"

"Shut up, yes you are!" hissed Marceline.

"I'm sorry." I said quietly. "I just knew you weren't into science, so I didn't know you could help."

"This curse has nothing to do with science." she whispered.

"What do you mean? Everything has a scientific explanation."

She rolled her eyes, "You are so dense, sometimes, Bonnibelle. You are dealing with magic here- really wickedly awesome powerful dark magic. The more powerful the magic is, the less close it is to science. The only way to defeat strong magic is with other strong magic."

"UGH, I can't believe you told her! What if she doesn't marry me now? I thought we were homies!" Ice King said angrily.

"Look, dude, just because she knows that little fact doesn't mean she can find the cure. Bonni's no dark mage." he shrugged and made little grunts that signified he conceded with her, "And we are _not_ homies."

There was a noise at the window and we all turned. The cloaked, hidden figure of a man stood before us. He must have been about my height (I am pretty tall for a girl). He had the musk of a forest traveler, his cloak was tattered and dirty, and hood completely shadowed his face. We just stared at each other for a few seconds before he started to slowly move towards us, holding up a small vial with neon purple liquid in it.

My heart started racing as I realized that _I_ was probably the most capable fighter in the room- what with Marceline being all burned and exhausted and Ice King having broken ribs and his crown being eaten.

I took a deep breath and huffed, spreading my legs over the floor in a defensive stance. I spread my arms across my wounded companions and shouted in an angry, nervous, high-pitched voice "Stay back!"

The hooded figure stopped in his tracks, clutched his heart, and let out a pained sigh, like my words had actually physically hurt him. Then he placed the vial slowly on the ground and backed up, his gloved hands in the air to show us he was unarmed.

Wow. Had I actually managed to intimidate this guy? I walked forward, keeping my eyes on the man the whole time, and picked up the vial. Tied to it was a pamphlet of paper, the front of which was labeled _"To Princess Bubblegum. This is a cure for your mother. Follow the instructions carefully."_

I let out an excited squeal and jumped up and down. I started talking very quickly, "Oh glob, are you serious? This could be poison; is there enough for me to test it first?" he nodded, "Oh, thank you, thank you! Who are you? Or who sent you? I must hold a court dinner in their honor!"

The hooded figure put his hands up and shook his head as he backed towards the window. Just as I stepped forward to pursue him I heard an outburst from Ice King behind me, "NO! What's your deal, jerk? Now she won't marry me!"

The Ice King reached down into Marceline's throat suddenly and pulled out his bile-covered crown before placing it back on his head. Marceline made a gagging sound and reached for him, but he just pushed the injured vampire out of the way, "Give me the vial, Bubblegum!"

"No!" I shouted, holding it away.

"You little wench, come here! I'll stick you in your cage in my palace until you can behave properly!" He grabbed me by my shoulders and shook me, but before I knew it he was flat on the ground. The hooded stranger had leapt across the room and punched him in the face. He stood over me protectively, his hands still balled into fists.

The Ice King shot an explosion of freezing water at the stranger, encasing him in ice to the floor. I ran to help, but the cold hands of the Ice King jerked me by my waist and hoisted me out the window and into the sky.

"Princess, we are _going_ to get married, and once I consummate the marriage with you there won't be any more men trying to steal you away from me. You'll be mine!"

I looked down, trying to see if I could survive the fall if I could escape from his grasp. Instead I saw the hooded man soaring towards us.

What the glob was going on…and was I really the only person around here that couldn't fly? That seemed kind of ridiculous.


	3. Chapter 3

The Ice King flew kind of crooked and made small moans of pain every so often from his broken bones. Within minutes the hooded stranger caught up to him and body slammed into his back.

The old man emitted a pained howl as I fell from his arms towards the ground. I barely had a second to scream before I was caught in the arms of the cloaked man as he flew me gently towards the ground. He had a familiar smell- a kind of sweet musk that made me feel at home when I breathed it in. I tried to look up at his face, but it was covered by a linen scarf below his dark sunglasses. He must have really wanted to conceal his identity.

Once he set me down on the forest floor he soared back up towards the Ice King, who was slowly and feebly trying to escape. The stranger did not hesitate punching the weakened king in the face twice before he fell to the ground.

A long, low moan drained out from the Ice King as he tried to crawl away from the hooded vigilante. The man's feet landed swiftly on the ground and I heard the metallic sound of his sword being slid from its sheath. The Ice King shot a meager stream of ice out at the man, who effortlessly deflected it with his sword, where it rebounded towards the Ice King's head and knocked off his crown a good 10 feet away. I stuck out my tongue when I saw it was still encrusted with Marceline's gastric juices. The Ice King was totally defenseless now. The hooded man was going to kill him.

I may not like the Ice King, but I didn't want him dead. I sprinted over to the scene and placed myself between the two men just as the stranger raised his sword above his head to make the final blow.

"Stop!" I shouted, "Please, I appreciate you trying to help me, but you can't slay the Ice King! He's just a crazy old man, ok?"

"Hahaha! Yeah, that's right!" laughed the Ice King nervously, "I'm just a crazy, silly old man that no princess wants to marry, so you don't have to kill me!"

The hooded man stood perfectly still, his sword still raised above his head. I looked up at it and felt my heart drop in my chest. It was a deep red with a cross at the handle; it was Jake's family sword made of demon's blood, the one that belonged to Finn.

"So it's true." said the man flatly, in a voice not quite as deep as I was expecting, "You do love him."

"Where did you get that sword?" I asked slowly.

Instead of answering, he turned on his heel and began to run. I jumped forward barely in time to grab the hem of his cloak, causing him to trip. He fell on the ground and his cloak flew up, revealing his leg. It was lean and muscular, with fine blond hairs covering it and a brown leather sandal. The most revealing thing, however, was the grungy blue felt scrap of material tied around his ankle.

This man did not steal Finn's sword. He _was_ Finn.

I crawled forward to grab his foot, but he had already jumped up and sprinted away.

"FINN!" I shouted after him, choking on the overwhelming emotions of sadness and confusion that had welled up in me.

He never looked back at me- he just leapt into the sky and was out of sight within seconds. I let out a cry as I hung my head, on my hands and knees, and coughed as tears ran down my face.

"Princess?" asked the Ice King timidly.

I ignored him. I just let myself cry. I held out the vial with that magical purple potion in it, wondering why I wasn't happier to have it.

"Princess," started the Ice King again, "You saved my life. What can I do to re-pay you?"

I stood, looked down at him in disgust, and said "_Never_ try to marry me again."

"Oh, come on!" he said, sounding exasperated; "Don't you think that's asking a little much? It's my hobby!"

"Didn't I just save your life?" I shouted.

"Ok, ok. I'll lay off the kidnapping for a while. Maybe until you turn 21, how does that sound?"

I rolled my eyes, but didn't respond. He took my lack of response to be agreement.

"See?" he said happily, "We're already compromising like happy couples do!"

He had no idea that my age was frozen at 18 for another 2 years, so I would not be turning 21 for another 5 years. Maybe next time he tried to kidnap me I would tell him about that technicality and hope it would deter him.

"So, was that really Finn or what?" asked Ice King.

"I'm not really sure." I said distantly.

"Well, I know he tried to kill me, but his outfit looks way cool. He's kinda got that desert-nomad thing going."

"If it is Finn, then I don't know what happened to him. Finn hasn't ever tried to kill you in cold blood before. I never thought he would believe I was in love with you before. Most of all, I have no idea why he would try to keep his identity a secret from me. Also, he's way bigger than Finn!" _Why would he have that anklet? Thieves steal weapons and things with monetary value, not sentimental keepsakes._

I summoned The Morrow and flew the Ice King back to his castle to recover. It felt like the longest ride ever because he kept trying to play truth or dare with me even though I never responded to him the whole trip.

When we walked inside his ice castle we both gasped. Everything was completely trashed! His drums set was dismantled, the penguin feathers from his pillow were strewn all over his room, and so much stuff littered the room that I was hardly able to walk him back to his chair. The cage that the Ice King had prepared for me was completely shattered.

"My super cool bachelor pad has been ransacked!" he moaned.

"Eww, yeah! Just look at all the old pizza and dirty underwear all over the floor!" I said, pinching my nose.

"No, actually, those were already there." he mumbled.

"Oh." I said shortly, "Well, this is awkward. Look, you've put me through hell today and I just want to go home. I'm sure the penguins will help clean up your place."

I turned to leave before he could respond but let out a surprised gasp when I found myself face to face with a girl- a cute, chubby girl who looked just like Finn. She wasn't any taller than when I last saw her, but her face had gotten a little less round and her breasts had gotten a little more round.

"Fionna?" I said in disbelief.

"FIONNA FROM MY FANFICTION?" shouted the Ice King. We both turned to glare at him and he knew he needed to shut up.

"Hey, Princess Bubblegum, have you-"

"Did you wreck this place?" I asked.

"No, I'm pretty sure my brother did this. I've been tracking him."

"What the cabbage?" I said, looking around the old man's home in disbelief. I had never known Finn to do something so malicious before.

"Yeah…" said Fionna, "He got kind of messed up in The Beyond."

"The _what?_"

Fionna sighed tiredly. "This is going to take a lot of explaining, but the quicker you understand, the quicker you can help me get him back."


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4: The Heroines**

"Blarney-knar, Fionna, slow down!" I said, putting my hands up before pinching the bridge of my nose to stem the tears that had sprung up much more often than I intended today. I paced the room while the Ice King stared open-mouthed at Fionna like a weirdo.

"Dudette," she whined nervously, "this is, like, way urgent!"

"Believe me, I know. I just- I have to ask you-" I held up the vial of purple liquid, "is this actually a cure for Mama?"

Fiona eyes turned into shocked orbs, "Yes, to the best of Finn and I's knowledge, that is the cure for your mother."

"Ok, well could I give this to her before our big quest to get Finn to- glob I have no clue what? I just know that this situation with Mama is a matter of life and death."

"Yeah, we should totally treat your mom. I had no idea he'd already given that to you."

"How much _do_ you know, Fionna?" I said suspiciously. I was wondering if she knew much more about Finn's new state than I did.

"I'll explain all that junk, trust me. Let's skidaddle!"

I was shocked to watch her sprint towards the open hole in the ice that served as a door and jumped into the sky, yelling unintelligibly.

"Fionna?" I yelled, running to the edge as she fell. _Really_, could everyone fly now but me?

As it turns out, Fionna was still flightless. Much to my relief, Cake stretched up to my level with a wide smile as she blinked those saucer-like eyes at me. I stared open-mouthed at the cat that reminded me so much of Jake.

Jake. He would for sure need to be in on this getting-the-real-Finn-back thingie. Suddenly a large "MEOWWW" broke me from my reverie.

"Yo, pink lady, you comin'?" said Cake.

I looked back at the pathetic looking injured Ice King. "Yeah, just hold on a minute. I've got an idea!" I ran over to the Ice King with a smirk on my face.

"Hey, Ice King, it sure was nice of me to save your life and take you back here after you tried to kidnap me, huh?"

He smiled, in a kind of sweet, almost good way, instead of his usual manic manner. "Yeah, Princess. I had no idea you cared for me so much."

"Correction, I care for life in general." his face contorted a little, most likely in confusion. He never got my blatant rejections, so surely he wouldn't get that subtle one. "Anyways, my point is, I wanted to know if you meant what you said about not trying to kidnap me until I turn 21?"

"Yeah, I guess so…" he mumbled, looking away from me.

"Then make it a royal promise." I said sternly.

The Ice King threw his head back and groaned. He knew the consequences of breaking a royal promise, unlike Finn once did. "Ok, fine, I royal promise, not to resume kidnapping you until you're 21." He thought that was only in a few months.

"Kay, thanks, bye Ice King! Sorry 'bout your house!" I waved and skipped off jovially to hop on Cake.

"What was _that_ all about?" asked Fionna suspiciously as Cake set off at an agile pace.

"Oh, I just used my cunning to prevent the Ice King trying to kidnap me for the next five years." I said in a smug, nonchalant tone, "I suppose this will greatly increase my independence, not always having to get rescued…"

"Well, I guess that's a good reason to look so happy…" said Fionna unsurely, scratching her chin.

"But what?" I said sharply, prompting her to finish her thought.

"But it's not what Finn would think of you looking so happy after talking to the Ice King."

"Ughhhh!" I groaned, "What's his freakin' deal? Why in the world would he think I'm in love with the Ice King?"

"I'll explain." she said cryptically, looking straight ahead. Apparently, the reasoning for this was tied in with the whole thing that messed him up in The Beyond, whatever the junk that is. I wondered if Susan got messed up in The Beyond.

Suddenly I felt a grim tug in the pit of my stomach as I wondered what had happened to Susan. I determined that it was best not to ask this yet.

"Oh, Lump, FINN'S BEEN TURNED INTO A GIRL!" LSP shouted in her nasal, lumpy-space accent upon first seeing Fionna when we entered my mom's quarters.

We had just finished practicing every step in the instructions for the potion for an hour, along with testing it on some willing gnomes. My heart was pumping rapidly at the thought of my poor, selfless mom finally being well again.

"You must be sooo heartbroken, Bubblegum! I'm here for you, girl!" she floated over to me, but stopped to take out her bedazzled cell phone, "Glob, now I have to tell Mellissa. She'll be totally crushed because she thought Finn was so cute. This is gonna be awkwaaaaard." I suddenly liked Melissa a little less.

"LSP, stop." I sighed. Fionna curiously poked her lumpy…what I could only guess was her butt.

"No, I've got to tell her! It's my curse for being such a lumpin' good friend!" she waved her fatty arm in dismissal at me.

"LSP, _listen._" I snatched her phone away and she gave me a look like she might strangle me. "Fionna is Finn's twin sister."

I gave her phone back and she apologized while rolling her eyes for overreacting. I thanked her for visiting Mama, but told her she had to go now so we could administer the cure. She pulled both Fionna and I into a lumpy embrace emitting deep, rapid exclamations of "Oh glob yay!" I couldn't help but smile and laugh with her in happiness.

LSP could be exasperating, shallow, and had the attention span of a spoon, but she had been a very supportive friend to me, especially in the past 2 years. I would never forget that. I waved goodbye fondly to her.

After she left I walked over to my frail, butterfly-sized mother almost completely under the covers. She lay on her tiny bed on top of the giant bed she would hopefully soon be big enough for. I could hear her faint, shallow snoring; I couldn't believe she could sleep over LSP's presence.

I gently cupped her in my hands and lifted her- with her tiny velvet bedspread- up to my face. She looked so pale.

"Mama?" I said gently.

She stirred a little bit. "Bonni…" I heard her mutter. I wasn't sure how awake she was.

"I have the cure, Mama." I whispered, "Fionna and I are going to give it to you. You're not going to be sick anymore."

"What?" she said, and her eyes fluttered open, "You haven't tried any of your results on me before."

"Well, I was looking in the wrong places."

"I hope that you know-" she gave a violent little cough, "there's a possibility that I might not be strong enough to make it. The cure might exhaust what's left of my body before it can cure it."

My heart sank into my stomach. I knew that, deep down. I suppose that's why I had just about as much dread about this cure as excitement. "Yes, Mama. What choice do we have, though?"

"You're right. It's not like I'll make it without it, so we have nothing to lose." she gave a weak, distant smile.

I wondered if, with all these bedridden years, she had come to terms with the idea of her own death. Well, I hadn't. I still needed her- the whole kingdom did. I couldn't lose her and Finn. I felt a sudden hand on my shoulder and turned to see Fiona smiling at me and holding out that potent little vial. I nodded and took it firmly in my hands.

Fionna formed a pentagram on the floor of sugar while I placed mother's now semi-conscious body in the middle of it. Cake lay in one of the first rays of moonlight streaming through the window and flicked her tail as she watched the whole process.

I stood and closed my eyes while whirling the vial counter-clockwise 7 times while chanting hastily "Incremento restituere qui accepit." When I stopped the potion glowed so bright that it lit up the whole room.

I walked across the room and nodded at Fionna and Cake to come. I carefully handed Cake the vial, kneeled, and put my hands on top of Fionna's shoulders, pressing my forehead to hers as she did the same to me. We formed a living arch over my mother. Slowly, with our limbs still interlocked, we moved our bodies in unison on our knees in counter-clockwise circles. At the same time, Cake stretched her paw between us and poured the potion on top of Mama's body.

Immediately as I saw the glowing liquid drench her body I noticed a surge of strength and alertness come into her eyes that I had not seen for a very long time. Fionna and I were to keep moving in circles until the process was complete, though.

Mama's back arched and I heard a shout come from her. I couldn't tell if it was from pain or exhilaration. My breath hitched in my chest.

We circled over Mother's changing body for what seemed like hours, even though it was probably less than 10 minutes. I saw her writhe, smile, frown, yell, moan, and laugh. It was impossible to tell if the process was killing her or restoring her, although the pure amount of energy she was demonstrating was promising. Fionna and I circled faster and faster through no conscious effort of our own as Mama's body began to grow. Her limbs suddenly stretched out, past the confines of the pentagram. She bolted upright, breaking our grasps on each other. She was breathing rapidly, and looking at her glowing, strong, fully sized, naked body (well, we couldn't expect her clothes to grow with her. That's one reason I was remarkably glad Fionna helped me with this instead of Finn).

She turned to look at me and tears welled up in both of our eyes. "Oh, Bonnibelle!" she collapsed on my bosom, wracked in sobs of happiness, "How can I ever thank you? My smart, beautiful, sweet daughter! You are more than I ever asked Glob for when I created you."

I squeezed her bare lavender shoulders as I coughed forward a laugh and a cry at the same time. Fionna awkwardly placed a robe on her shoulders and backed up. Mama leaned back to shrug the robe on and looked into my eyes as she cupped my face in her hands, "I can't believe you finally found the cure. I thought it was impossible, but I never wanted to ruin your hope. And you did it while ruling the kingdom, too. I am so proud of you."

I felt a quivering smile spread across my lips as I shot a quick glance to Fionna (she looked uncomfortable). I wasn't the one she should be giving credit to, but I didn't even know if the person who was responsible was safe for her to be around to thank.

"Actually, Mama," I said, "_Finn_ was the one who gave me the cure."

"Oh my globness." she muttered as she glanced at Fiona. She pieced two and two together. "Yes, of course Finn's back if you are, Fionna. Where is he?"

Fionna looked at her feet and traced the designs of grapes on the carpet with one of her toes. "Finn is- I don't know where he is. We kinda gotta go rescue him."

Mama closed the distance between her and Fionna in a few strong strides and embraced her, "Thank you for helping me, Fionna. You are welcome in the Candy kingdom whenever you like. Please allow me to provide you with provisions for you and Bubblegum's journey."

"You're alright with me going, Mama?" I interjected.

She turned to me and smiled. "Bonnibelle, there comes a moment in every girl's life, whether she's a princess or not, where she has to step out of what she knows to do something wonderful."

"But- the kingdom…" I stuttered. I was suddenly very apprehensive about going on an epic adventure like my friends always seemed so brave to do.

"The kingdom is now my responsibility." finished Mama, "If you really feel you should not go and help Finn, then by all means co-rule with me. I know how much you care for him, though, Bonni. So, if you'll accept it, I am releasing you from your ruling duties." She curtsied to me in that fluffy bathrobe with a big smile on her face.

So it was over just like that; I went from sheltered princess to heroine in a manner of seconds. No more speaking at festivals. No more royal council meetings. No more being waited on 24/7 by castle staff. I suddenly knew that even if she had not approved, I would have gone to help Finn. I grinned at her, "Thank you, Mama."

As Fiona, Cake, and I walked into the woods she started to explain to me their search for humans in Aaa when we suddenly smelled smoke.

We heard the voice of an angry teenage girl "You come back here! All I'm asking is to move back in!"

"No way, you're a crazy chick." said the voice of Marceline, sounding more annoyed than angry. She was the only girl I knew who could roll her eyes in the very tone of her voice.

"Arghhh!" growled the other girl, and Fionna, Cake, and I leapt back as a gigantic tree on fire crashed down in front of us. Cake gasped and quickly ripped a giant patch of grass off the earth and stretched it over the fire to choke it out.

"OWWW!" we could now see the flaming girl buckle to her knees right as Cake put out the tree. She turned her gaze to us and glared. "What the heck did you do that for?"

Marceline flew over to the girl with a look of concern on her face. The last thing I expected was to run into Finn's ex on the way to rescue him. Her hair had time to grow back to its full length since I hacked it off.

"I'm really sorry, I didn't know…" I sputtered.

"Ugh," she said, struggling to her feet, "People like _you_, Pinky, are the reason I should just stay in the fire kingdom."

I ignored her little dig as I put the pieces together, and looked at Marceline, "Your new roommate was the Flame Princess?" I asked incredulously.

She shrugged apathetically, but I knew her well enough to tell she was embarrassed. "Didn't you know her and Finn dated?" I shouted, waving my arms in the air.

"Yeah, well, I'm not the one who broke them up, Bonni." she said flatly, smirking with her hands in her pockets.

I huffed- I would not let her turn this on me, "You unscrupulous little vamp! That's why you wouldn't tell anyone about her! You moved in with Finn's ex into _his own house!"_

She flew up in my face and pointed, "Well it was _my_ house first, so why should it matter? You haven't changed a bit, Bonni- still just as judgmental as when we dated-"

"WHAT?" shouted Flame Princess.

Marceline's face sank, "Ooops."

Flame Princess slapped Marceline across the face and hissed, "You _dated_ Bonnibelle Bubblegum?"

"Yeah, but it wasn't any of your business!" Marceline spat. "I hadn't even met you yet!"

"Oh, yeah, it's none of my business that both the people I've dated have locked lips with _her?_" FP pointed an accusing finger at me as she busted into flames. Fionna leapt in front of me with her sword, probably completely unaware that I had fought FP before.

"Hey, lay off PB! None of this is her fault!" shouted Marceline.

FP looked at me, Fionna, Cake, and Marceline, and shrank back down, probably realizing she was outnumbered. Her hair was down at her sides instead of up in the air and was only dimly flickering. A sizzling sound came from her face and I realized she was crying.

"You still have feelings for her." muttered FP matter-of-factly.

"What? No-no I don't." stammered Marceline, as a faint blush colored her pale gray skin.

"Whatever, I've had enough of this." she said, with a completely deadpan expression. With that, she turned into a giant fireball and shot into the sky.

"Flame Princess, wait!" Marceline pleaded, but did not pursue her. She rarely pleaded, but it was even rarer that she chased.

She leaned her back against a tree and rolled her head over to look at us with an exhausted expression, "Bonni, I'm over 1000 years old. How do I still not know how to not hurt people?"

Before I could answer Fionna spoke as she pointed at us, "_You_ guys dated?" Marceline and I both looked away from each other, meekly shrugging, "I don't suppose you've told Finn, have you?"

"Oh my freak, why does everyone think they deserve to know?" said Marceline, floating back into the air with a faint hiss, "It's history. It was before either of us knew him!"

"Well, you're his two best friends, and it seems like something he'd want to know since he's in love with Bubblegum!" Fionna said, stomping her little foot. She was not very big for a 16-year-old.

I sighed, trying to dissolve another emerging fight, "It just never came up." I said, "It was just for a few months, and it was never too serious. Honestly, if he asked me who I'd dated I would have told him."

Fionna's expression softened. "Well, I know you guys weren't _trying_ to keep anything from him. It's just that it's already going to be hard for him to regain your trust. He's seriously junked up."

"Wait, if something's wrong with Finn, I should help!" said Marceline. She was abnormally enthusiastic. She added quietly, with one little fang sticking out, "I've missed that little weenie."

So, there we were, four heroine adventurers, sitting down so we could finally get the down-low on what the heck happened to our dude in distress.

Fionna took a deep breath, and I think she swallowed back tears, "Things started going downhill pretty fast after Susan's death."

_Author's note: sorry I didn't get into the Aaa stuff yet, but I hope you liked the chapter. I PROMISE I will have the next chapter posted within the next 2 days. If I don't then you can assume that I've died a horrible death, probably doing something epic. I hit a bit of writer's block, but I've got the ball rolling again, so please review and I'll be prompted to update faster. Oh, and sorry to all the FP fans out there for her being so evil. My portrayal of her is based on the assumption that she actually is evil like her dad said she was, before I saw the first ep. of season 4 (which is adorable)._


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

_Author's note: Wow- my apologies in the grammar in the last chapter. When I re-read it I literally facepalmed myself with embarrassment and made a solemn promise to never again proof-read my work when I'm dead tired just because I want it posted quicker. Anyways, it's a little cleaned up, but one thing I couldn't fix was the chapter divisions! This site keeps editing them out and I have no idea why! I've tried "***," "_," and "XXXX." It's driving me nuts and it makes the scene switches confusing! If anyone could tell me how to put in chapter divisions in a way the site will accept them, I'd be much obliged._

_Anyways, I hope you enjoy this chapter! This story is quite sad, but do not worry.__ By the way, I do NOT own the new Princess character in this chapter! You'll recognize her if you're like me and watch interviews with Pendleton Ward on Youtube when you're bored. My goodness, that man has a beautiful mind…Also, the idea for The Beyond that I will elaborate on in this chappie is from an AT clip, although it is EXTREMELY obscure, and I only noticed it because I read the Youtube comments on it. If anyone can tell me where it's from, I'll give you Brownie points (I'm not really sure what that means, but my point is that I'll be impressed)._

I heard a sharp gasp of shock from Marceline before my head started swimming and my vision went black. The next thing I knew I felt Marcie's cold hands gently patting my cheeks until I opened my moist eyes. Marceline, Fionna, and Cake all stared down at me with somber expressions. I bolted up and put my head in between my knees.

_Susan Strong was dead. Finn's aunt. One of the three known remaining humans. Innocent, kind, and loyal._

"Bonni?" Marceline asked timidly.

I wiped the tears on my hot cheeks off on my purple overalls (there's no way I'd keep wearing those gigantic dresses on rugged adventures). I concentrated on slowing my breathing and looked up at my three friends. I was so embarrassed. How would they ever respect me as someone who could take this journey with them if I couldn't keep it together? Suddenly I noticed they all had tears glistening in their eyes, too.

I swallowed and let a few tears fall. I hiccupped a few pink bubbles into the air and Marceline couldn't help but smile at me endearingly.

"Are you sure she's dead, Fionna?" I asked when I could finally talk.

"We saw her get hit with one of the little balls from one of the big metal sticks." Fionna said, while nodding and wiping her eyes.

"The what?" Marceline and I both asked in unison.

"The um- oh…" Fionna looked up with her finger on her chin.

"Fi, you forgot they only have those in The Beyond." said Cake.

"Well, what is that?" I asked. I was losing patience with them not telling me where this place was.

"Oh…" said Fionna looking back down to earth and pushing a big wave of blond hair out of her face. "It's in Aaa, I suppose. It's huge. Nobody goes there, though. The people there never come out, either."

"Well then _why_ would you and Finn think it was a good idea to go there?" asked Marceline skeptically.

"Because we were told that was the only place where we might find other humans!" Fionna yelled. She had jumped to her feet and her little hands were balled into fists.

"Whoa, what's your deal?" asked Marceline, putting her hands up.

"I don't want you thinking that Finn and I got Susan killed just for our sense of adventure! We didn't know it would be like that!" Her face was contorted in anger and she was breathing heavily.

"Calm down, little girl Finn, that's not what I thought." said Marceline calmly, placing her hands on Fionna's shoulders.

Fionna quickly flinched away, but her expression softened. She definitely had a little bit of post traumatic stress disorder going on. Fionna sighed, "I'm sorry, I'm just getting all messed up. I haven't talked about that place since we got out."

I stepped forward and cautiously hugged Fionna. She tensed and breathed unevenly, but after a few seconds hugged me back. It was not a long embrace, though, because within the next few seconds I jumped back and screamed as a gigantic dog hurled backwards into us barking like he was rabid!

"Jake?" I shouted as I stumbled back and gained my senses. Why was everyone in the forest today?

"Whaa?" he whirled around at us, "Dudes, you gotta get outta here."

"What, no way! Whatever you're fighting, we're gonna fight it!" shouted Fionna, unsheathing her sword. A malicious grin spread across Marcie's face as she nodded in agreement and started morphing into her bat-demon form.

"Yeah, sure we will…" I muttered feebly. I really had to learn to use a weapon of some kind. If anything, I'd be a handicap on our side of the fight.

"Umm, you might change your mind after- BARK BARK BARK BARK!" he had whirled towards the trees, placing himself between us and our apparent pursuer.

A mass of cloth leapt out of the trees and Jake exploded into a mass of fat. When the man in the cloak landed from the rebound off Jake's big old gut, I saw that it was Finn.

"Where is he, Jake?" Finn growled angrily, his sword poised and ready to strike.

"None of your business! Stop being all evil!" shouted Jake. He had shrunk back down to his default size, but his hackles stood on edge.

"Stop or _what?"_ Finn challenged.

"Or I'll-I'll- um, poop on you!" Jake smiled, apparently thinking it was a good comeback, "Yeah, and then I'll eat your poop! You hate it when I do that!"

"Pshh, whatever, man. That's a weak battle burn. If I'm so evil, then why don't you just slay me?"

"What, you're my bro! There's no way I could ever kill you! AHH!" Jake stretched himself out of the way as Finn swiftly swung his sword across where Jake's chest was. "Cut it out, man!"

"If you're too much of a wimp to kill me, then you'll never stop me from killing Ice King. I'll find him eventually!" There was an unstable rage in Finn's quavering voice I'd never heard before.

Finn took another swing at Jake, who barely dodged it. Jake's stretchy buttcheeks shot out like springs to punch Finn in the gut as he raised his sword again. The sword was knocked out of Finn's hands and Jake caught it out of the air.

"GIVE IT BACK!" Finn screeched, rising into the air and charging down at Jake.

Jake didn't have time to move, even with his stretchy magic. He pushed Finn off of him, and sat up weakly with a busted lip and a black eye forming. Before Jake had even finished sitting up, Finn kicked him in the jaw.

"That's for leaving your 'bro' for Rainicorn!" Finn yelled, his voice choking, "Maybe if you'd come she wouldn't have died! It's your fault!"

Jake didn't even bother to stand this time. I knew he could fight way better than that, but he just didn't have it in him to hurt Finn. "Whatever, man, if you want to kill me, then go ahead. Just do me the honor of letting me look into your in my eyeballs when you do it."

I looked on either side of me to Fionna and Marceline, who were just watching. "Why aren't you guys doing anything?" I whispered urgently.

"He's not really going to do it." Fionna said, a little uncertainly. "I want to give him the benefit of the doubt. He has no reason to kill Jake. Besides, I always wanted to see how a fight between them would turn out."

Marceline sat as a hunched, gigantic, amused spectator in her bat-demon form and nodded in agreement. I think she was afraid she would kill Finn in this form if she started to fight him while he was evil, or whatever he was.

The man before us lowered his hood and took the covering off his face. Suddenly there was the Finn I knew, still in that silly bear hat. His jaw line had widened and was more angular. His face scrunched and struggled, like he was fighting with himself. It looked like the bad side was winning, though, because his sword slowly rose up, shaking.

"Guys?" I said, looking rapidly at Fionna.

"He's not aiming it at Jake…" she whispered, placing her hand over her mouth.

I looked back to Finn and she was right. Once he had it raised above his head, he had turned it towards his own neck. No one could just pounce on him now to stop him like they could if he was going for Jake. If we made one wrong move then he could just plunge the sword into his throat. It was like he had taken himself hostage. The next events happened extremely quickly.

Fionna, Cake, Marceline, Jake, and I all yelled "FINN!" at the same time. I began running towards him, but knew I wouldn't be in time. Jake lunged forward to take the sword, but Finn continued to fly higher, always just out of his reach. Marceline soared through the air to grab Finn, but he easily dodged her (she was more agile when not in her giant-bat-monster form, but she had no time to transform back). Just 10 feet out of reach from Marceline, we all fell silent as we heard the metallic sound making a long shredding sound through the fabric of his clothing.

Then Finn fell from the air.

Jake stretched his body out like a giant sheet and caught him just before he hit the ground and lowered him slowly, prodding his motionless body with his nose and wearing the saddest puppy dog eyes ever.

"NO!" I shouted hysterically, as I ran up and kneeled beside him. "Finn, no, I can't lose you like this, _please."_

I took his bear hat off his sweaty hair and intertwined my fingers in it as I cried over him. His face looked so at peace from all he must have suffered for this to happen to him. I took everything in about him- the slope of his thin nose, the thickness of his short eyelashes, the soft peach fuzz that glowed along his jaw line, his chapped, slightly parted lips…I pulled his body towards me and pressed those still warm lips to mine. I was vaguely aware of everyone else gathered around us, but only just. I knew if there was any life left in him, then it would stir for a kiss from me. The first few seconds there was nothing, but then for a split second, just as I was about to pull away, I thought I felt his tongue run softly across my lower lip.

"Glob!" I gasped, leaping back, "Finn? Are you there?" I kissed him again, tears dropping onto his cheeks, and thrust my tongue into his mouth. I definitely felt his tongue meet mine that time, although weakly.

I laughed nervously. "He's alive!" I said looking up at Marceline.

"Well, he should be." said Fionna, smiling with relief. "Haven't you noticed yet that there's no blood?"

I looked at her to see if she was serious and then looked towards Finn's torso. She was right. Just then Fionna pulled at a new, jagged slit in his cloak and ran her fingers through it to see that it ran all the way down to his feet. She let out a gasp.

"What?" Marceline and I asked.

"I _knew_ this cloak was the culprit!" she whispered angrily to herself. She then looked up at all of us, "This cloak was what they were using to manipulate his thoughts and memories. He tried to destroy it and now it's draining the life out of him. Help me rip it off!"

We all pulled on the cloak, ripping it apart off Finn's limp body.

Marceline then traced her finger in the sky, which made and awful screeching sound, and we saw a portal to the Nightosphere open with spitting flames and wails of evil spirits, "Hey, Daddy!" she shouted happily.

"Hi, honey!" came the voice of a man in the portal- awfully jovial for a demon.

"I've got an evil present for you, Daddy!" Marceline shouted back from him, tossing the shreds into the fiery abyss.

There was a pause and then I heard the man say "Aww, thanks sweetie! This evil cloak is deliscious!" His next words were muddled by the sounds of him munching greedily.

"No problem, love you!" she waved and zipped the portal back up as her dad mumbled "lub ooo" between bites.

She turned back around smiling.

"You two seemed chipper." I said in confusion.

"We've been going to family counseling! Anyways, it was the only way to be sure that cloak wouldn't come back."

We all ran back over to Finn, who had begun to stir. He groaned and turned over. I placed my hand on his cheek and his eyes lazily opened to look up at the crowd awaiting him. I was afraid that he would still be messed up, but to my relief that big, crooked, innocent smile spread across his face. "Slamacow! Hey, guys!" he said weakly.

We erupted into cheers and all collapsed on Finn, all trying to hug him at once. He giggled just like he used to, although it was considerably deeper now. I liked his new voice. I felt a little fluttering in my stomach every time I heard it, especially now that he wasn't evil.

"Finn, don't you ever scare me like that again!" I said taking his face in my hands. I then pulled him towards me and squeezed him so hard that he coughed a little. Jake, Marceline, Fionna, and Cake all gathered around him, making a giant dog pile, laughing with relief that he was back.

"What did I do to scare you, Princess?" he asked with ignorant bliss, when the talk had died down.

I backed up from him and scrutinized him, "Are you serious? We thought you killed yourself. And before that we thought you were going to kill Jake!"

"What, that's crazy stuff, PB!" He had a big, giant smile on his face and looked around him, "I missed you. You're my peeps."

"How much do you remember about today, Finn?" asked Marceline.

"Umm, I dunno, it's weird." he sat up and put his hand on his forehead, "I remember that new princess. I remember we went to that really big creepy place. I remember being imprisoned by some mutant people."

Jake, Cake, Fionna, Maceline, and I all exchanged dark looks. No one wanted to tell him.

"Hey," he said, looking around as he sat up, "Where's Susan?"

"Alright, let's use some of that memory powder on you, Finn." sighed Marceline sadly.

"How did you get more of that stuff?" I asked incredulously, "It's really rare!"

"Pshh, no it's not, Bonni." She then leaned in to whisper, "It's just vampire dandruff!"

"What, eww! You're messing with me." I leapt back from her, sticking my tongue out.

"Nope, not rare, we just hoard it so we can sell it for a lot on the black market." shrugged Marceline, floating up above us, "Ok, guys, get ready for the memory snow!" She scratched her scalp and a dust fell on Jake and me as we fell into Finn's memory. I guess there wasn't enough dandruff for all of us on her scalp (actually I'd be kind of disturbed if there was).

I saw the light and felt that familiar warmth of the powder. When my vision cleared, all I could see in every direction was yellow sand dunes and blue sky. We were in some desert in Aaa.

Finn stood up and touched his lips, "Hey, did you kiss me, Bubblegum?"

"What, umm," I blushed and looked at Jake to see if he'd sell me out, "no, Jake just did CPR on you!"

"Well, Jake must have been chewing bubblegum, then." he said, smiling, "It taste just like when-" he trailed off and looked at his bro before shoving his hands in his pockets and looking away.

I giggled a little under my breath. He was still pretty gullible. I couldn't help but be giddy again. I knew we were about to see something pretty bad in the back of my head, but I was just so relieved to see Finn after all that time, alive, healthy, and especially not evil.

We caught up to memory Finn, Fionna, Susan and Cake. The three humans rode on the gigantic Cake, talking about all their previous adventures with zeal.

"Oh, man, do you remember that watermelon monster that spat seeds at us made out of acid?" asked Fionna.

"Yeah, and you totally slayed him all righteous while Susan distracted him?"

"Oh yeah!" she giggled, "Hey, Susan, what did you do to him?"

Susan grinned and stood up, making a squashed fishy face, yelling "Your mama used messed up fertilizer growing you!" The rest of them busted out laughing.

My heart tugged at me hearing her voice again. She always over-accented each syllable and had a bit of a lisp in her husky voice.

Real Finn laughed next us, clutching his sides, "Oh, hey, I remember that! Thanks for showing me this, guys."

I noticed as we walked several rusted, ancient looking metal signs that said stuff like "Turn back now!" "Danger!" and "Seriously, you're still walking this direction? You must be crazy, suicidal, or illiterate. Maybe you're all three. Anyways, TURN BACK NOW!" I had a feeling we were about to get to what we needed to see.

I walked ahead of the boys for a long while until I saw what looked to be a gigantic drop off stretching endlessly in both directions. We all ran towards it until we stopped inches from a ledge at the top of a great, dark chasm.

"Whoa." I whispered, "I can't even see the other side of it."

Finn was oddly quiet, his brow furrowed with a look of foreboding. Whatever this thing was, he was starting to remember.

"You!" came the shriek of an old lady, "Do not go off that ledge!"

We all looked 50 yards to our left and saw a really peculiar sight. At first I thought it was 5 different Princesses, but then I saw that it was just five heads attached to one lower body, which pretty much was a big, glompy, slug-like mess of skin on top of a white princess dress. They were slurping over to Fionna, Susan, Cake, and Finn, and the old lady head who had yelled at them was red-eyed and furious. We all ran closer so we could hear them well.

"Oh, don't be so harsh on them, Princess." said the soft, gentle voice of the Princess in front, as she smiled at their guests. "I'm sure they just didn't know what lies in The Beyond. HeheheheheheHEHEHEHEHHHH!" She laughed manically for a while and then resumed her sweet smile. She had beautiful blond hair and her face was almost pretty, but something was off. Maybe it was that her eyes were too far apart or her skin looked kind of melty?

"Whoa!" said memory Finn, pointing at them, "I've seen you before!" Memory Cake and Fionna both turned towards him in surprise while Susan tried to pet the old lady princess's head (who responded with a sharp hiss and shot lazers from her eyes, singeing Susan's tunic. Susan then proceeded to run for cover behind Finn).

"Ooo, where have you seen us, Mr. Hero?" piped up the squeaky voice of a little girl's head with a tiny crown and a blue pixie cut. She hung at an awkward 45 degree angle from what I think was the blond princess's neck.

"Hmmm, I can't remember."

"The boy lies!" cried the old lady princess head, "And if you ask me it looks awfully funny for three things that look so human to be hanging around on the outside of The Beyond. Let's EAT THEM!"

"No!" said three of the other Princesses at once. The fourth one, a brunette with a lazy eye, looked like she was trying to make up her mind while staring hungrily at Susan's meaty thighs."

Fionna drew out her sword, but Finn stepped up and tried to explain things to them.

"Hey," said present-day Finn, tapping Jake, "I do remember them. I saw them in the Ice King's imagination when he was trying to tempt NEPTR to kidnap princesses with him."

"NEPTR?" I asked.

"It stands for Never Ending Pie Throwing Robot." said Finn proudly.

"Well, that does sound like the sort of thing you would build a robot for." I said, resisting rolling my eyes. Then I paused and scrunched up my face as a new thought occurred to me. "It is a little disturbing how the Ice King knows so much stuff about Aaa? Did you know he wrote a fanfiction about Fionna and Ca-"

"Shhh, the princesses are saying something!" Finn said, pinching my lips together.

At first they were all speaking together unintelligibly, but then the blond princess in front cleared her throat until they quieted down and she turned to the humans before her, "Some of my fellow princesses are concerned that you are actually coming out of The Beyond. We thought all the humans were extinct except for the ones that live there."

"There are humans there?"shouted Fionna and Finn at once. Cake and Susan stayed warily silent.

"Well, we're not sure if there are." said the blond princess sweetly. She then pointed into the dark abyss before us, "The Beyond is a giant crater in the planet created from the mushroom war. Many humans wanted to move back into the crater a generation after the war because they could not part with the obsolete relics of their past."

"Yes! Lemme tell it, I love this story!" said the head of a toddler hanging off the neck area of the brunette princess. "The humans tried to bring their livestock with them, but the poison air made them all turn into freaks. _Dangerous freaks." _

I'm pretty sure 'poison air' meant radiation from the atom bomb, but I had a feeling this explanation would be lost on my companions. Sometimes it's lonely being the only scientist in the group.

"They kill anybody that comes in because they don't trust nobody! You might as well let us eat'cha before they do!" the old lady princess glared at them and cackled.

"Yeah, I think you guys should listen to them." said Cake nervously. "Not about the eating part, but about not going in there!"

"Nah, they won't kill us or eat us, because we're human, like them. We're their peeps!" exclaimed memory Finn.

"Yeah, they might even be related to us, or some junk!" shouted Fionna, "Let's go get them outta that dark crater and show them the awesomeness of the outside world, just like you did with Susan!"

"Heck yes! I'm all about bringing people outta craters!" Finn fist bumped his sister and they both ran towards the ledge, being just barely caught by one of the many arms hanging off the skin of the princesses.

"Oh," said Finn, turning around, "We forgot to thank the Princesses. What's your names, dames?"

"We are Princess Princess Princess Princess Princess Princess." They all said at once.

"Well, that's math." said Finn, "Where's your kingdom, Princess times five?"

"This desert around The Beyond is our kingdom." said the blond princess, "Our land is vast, but our population is few. We pretty much just have that cockroach named Harold to rule over."

They all looked over to a cockroach the size of a small dog who waved one of his hairy legs and muttered "'Sup?"

The brunette princess, who had not said much of anything yet, slurped her way to the front of the group and screeched "SCHOCOMOW BOOWOO OTOTWANTY SCHOWGLOBBERTY GIBBETYYYYYY!"

"Uh, thanks?" I said.

"She is warning you!" hissed the blond princess, all of the sweetness suddenly evaporated from her. "The air may not be poison any more, but there is a reason why no one from Aaa ever goes into The Beyond or speaks of it!"

"Well, thanks for your opinion, but you don't know since no one's gone down there in 1000 years!" said memory Finn cheerfully, "We're heroes, so we can handle it."

"I'm not going down there, guys." said Cake, backing away.

"Aww, don't be a pa-toot!" pleaded Fionna.

"Look, I've got animal instincts and they're telling me this is a bad idea. Please don't go, Fionna."

"Finn's right, Cake! We're heroes, so if anybody can handle what's down there, we can. Besides, this is the first lead we've had on any humans in over a year and you want us to just give up?"

Cake sighed, "I didn't think I could convince you."

"What about you, Susan? Are you in?" Present day Finn flinched next to me as he heard those words.

"Susan will go find peeps. Susan loves her Finn and Fionna. She will follow them any wheres." Susan declared loyally.

"Ok, we'll see you suckas later!" shouted Finn as he jumped on the slope of the ledge. Fionna and Susan followed close behind, sliding on the dirt and giggling wildly as they descended deeper and deeper into the chasm. Cake soon caught up to them and stretched herself as a big sled to go down the slope on.

Fionna hugged Cake's neck, "You came!"

"What choice did I have?" Cake sighed. "I'd never forgive myself if my little sis got herself killed and I wasn't there."

"Oh stop being such a gloomy puss!" Fionna lovingly scratched behind Cake's ears, which made the feline quickly relent.

Cake swerved her human passengers around mounds of shattered old ruins, the most memorable being the head of a gigantic green lady holding up a torch. After several minutes the slope of the earth evened and they slowed to a stop.

"All passengers off." said Cake flatly, who got up with her back arched and her hackles raised. The four beings walked in silence for a long way, looking around them at the strange ancient structures around them covered in grime.

"Stop being a wimp, Cake! There's nothing here!" said Fionna.

"That's what I'm flippin' out about. I've got such good hearing that I always here something, but I think we're the only living beings here."

The others listened hard for the sound of a bird, a rustling, or just any noise that wasn't them, but there was nothing. The rest of the walk was quiet, with the others now looking just as paranoid as Cake.

After what seemed to be about an hour of walking with not a single sound of life, memory Finn spotted a large village with light coming from it. He pointed excitedly, "Finally, some action! We should totally go see who lives there!" He ran, with his three friends trailing close behind, but they all skidded to a stop when they heard a deafening bang.

I covered my ears and winced. "What was that?"

"Metal sticks." muttered Finn, struggling to keep his breath even as he looked straight ahead. All the blood had drained from his face.

"Put your hands up!" grunted a voice so deep it was almost a growl. Emerging from a pile of wreckage was what I could only describe as a lizard man, standing on four clawed feet, with human-like arms, scaly skin the color of decaying waste, and yellow, slitted eyes.

Memory Finn saw the man's metal stick and said playfully "Oh, you wanna duel?" He drew his sword.

"Drop your weapon." rumbled the man.

"Well, are you gonna drop yours?"

"No. I command you to drop your weapon."

"No way, man! Hey, are you evil or not? We just wanna know where the humans are."

"We are the humans." hissed the reptilian man.

Finn shot him a confused look. "Well, then that's some algebraic costume you've got, because I'm human, and you don't look like me."

"You are a human not from here, a separate breed that we don't trust. Your ancestors left the rest of their kind here to suffer. The world changed after the mushroom war, and our ancestors changed with it." The man's hate for Finn's existence dripped like venom from his voice.

"Why didn't your ancestors come with my ancestors?" asked Finn, "This place is ugly and it reeks- kind of like your mom!" Finn started laughing childishly at what he must of thought was an awesome battle burn, but the lizard-human was not laughing.

"Fool!" he spat, "Drop. Your. Weapon."

"Nope, I can't do that. I'm getting the impression that you're evil, and I slay evil." Finn smirked.

"Yeah, and you're going to have to go against the rest of us, too!" shouted Fionna, drawing her sword. "So you and your big metal thingie are outnumbered!"

The man barked a disdainful laugh, a clicking sound came from his metal stick, and another deafeaning blast came that was followed by Finn's screams. He had collapsed on the ground in the fetal position, grasping his foot that had blood rapidly soaking through his shoe. I gasped and started to run towards him, when Jake held me back, shaking his head wordlessly. I had forgotten in that moment that it was just a memory, and I had no effect on what happened in it.

We all turned our attention back to the memory when we heard a blood curdling war cry erupt from the usually quiet, docile, but quite strong Susan. For the first and only time I saw her features distorted with rage. As Fionna treated Finn's foot, Susan bolted towards the lizard man.

Another shot was fired, but Susan was zig-zagging her running, making her hard to hit. Finn, Cake, and Fionna realized what was happening and began to pursue Susan, who had already tackled the man. I flinched at the blunt sounds of her brutal hits against his face and vital organs, and her wild screaming the entire time. Fionna and Cake were powerless to pull her off of him in her current state, and Finn was still helplessly and desperately limping towards the scene, shouting for Susan to stop.

A minute later she backed off of him, red blood spattered on her face, hands and tunic. She had tears in her eyes and was quivering.

Fionna ran up to the man and bent down cautiously to his mouth to listen, "He's still breathing!"

"Ok, good." Finn sighed, "I don't want us to be responsible for killing th-" Finn's voice was masked by another shot.

Before they had a chance to see where it came from, Susan fell on her knees and hit the ground.

"NO! NO, NO, NO, NO!" shouted Finn. Despite the pain in his wounded foot, he got up and sprinted over to Susan's body with a pool of blood spreading around it. He rolled her over and I could see the wound in her upper left chest. Fionna knelt next to them and started to stroke Susan's arms and legs. She seemed unable to say anything from the shock.

I heard a soft thud next to me and looked down at present day Finn, who had lost the ability to stand and kneeled, tears streaming from his blank face. I wrapped my arms around from behind him and stroked his cheek wordlessly.

"Aunt Susan, you can't die! You're the strongest out of all of us!" cried memory Finn. His voice cracked so much that it made my heart literally hurt.

Susan did not stir.

"Susan, I should have never brought you here! We have to get you out of here! We'll bring you out and we'll-" he started trying to drag her heavy body with little success, crumpling from the pain he'd forgotten about in his foot.

"Finn, stop." said Cake gently.

"I love you, Aunt Susan. Don't go." Finn whispered, falling on top of her with Fionna.

I realized that present day Finn's body was shaking under me. I squeezed him. I wished that I could hug him so tight that he got sent back in time, before his innocent soul had to face all of this.

Suddenly we heard the clicks of several different metal sticks. Several men had marched from patrolling the city walls and now all had their weapons pointed at the defenseless twin humans.

"You have trespassed on our land and nearly killed one of our men. Come with us, or end up like your primitive friend." said a large man with tentacles and three eyes, his metal stick pressed into Finn's skull.

Finn, Fionna, and Cake said nothing, but merely did as they were told as some more reptilian men dragged Susan's body away.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

The rest of Finn's memories became progressively random and disconnected. Each was just a vivid scene followed by a flash and then another scene days or weeks later. As I watched, I tried to figure out scientifically why the quality of his memories had deteriorated, and I figured that ability accounted for Finn's resilience; he was able to let go of a lot of the bad memories.

Cake had her memory erased and was banished from The Beyond, because the lizard-humans thought magical creatures were "abominations." Fionna collapsed weeping and screaming for Cake. Finn ran over to hold her, and was swiftly knocked out by the butt of one of the metal sticks. _*Flash*_

Finn and Fionna are stripped and hosed down with scalding water. They are changed into rough, oversized, gray prisoner tunics. They are told they are to be trained as soldiers to repay their debt for having their life spared and being fed and clothed. _*Flash*_

Finn is tied to a chair and branded with a scalding hot iron "P" for prisoner on his right shoulder blade. He arches back and thrashes, but keeps his lips pursed closed, refusing to allow them to hear him scream. He flashes looks towards the next room where he knows Fionna is being kept. _*Flash*_

Fionna and Finn are tied together and figure out a way to untie each other's knots without the guards noticing. They both turn to smirk at each other, sneak up to the sleeping guards, and take their metal sticks and keys. They are now running out of the facility and smile and spin in the sunshine for the first time in weeks. They are running. They almost make it out of the village. They feel the ground vanish from under them and land in a deep hole that was concealed by leaves on the path. Fionna screams as she tried to get up and cradles her arm awkwardly; it is broken. Finn hugs her to him and takes off his tunic to make a sling for her. Just then the guards run up to the hole. Finn breathes rapidly in rage and imagines shooting every single one of them in the head, watching their blood pour from their brain guts to pay for what they did to Susan. Instead, when they threaten to shoot Fionna, he sets down the metal stick and puts his arms up in the air. _*Flash*_

A wave of pain shatters Finn's back as he is flogged. Then it happens again and again and again. He has permanently been separated from Fionna, which has broken him. He allows himself to scream, to ask them to stop, to plead over and over again for some hint to know she is still alive. He never gets any response but another blow for anything but robotic compliance. He is made to sleep in the cold in his underwear as punishment for tearing his tunic in attempt to make the sling; the lizard humans called it "vandalism of government property." He lies in his cell, shivering and trying to sleep. His hands are tied behind his back. The moonlight casts dramatic shadows on his ribs with every shallow breath. They are feeding him barely enough to keep him alive and he is so hungry that he even misses Jake's everything burritos. _*Flash*_

Eat gruel. Train. Lay naked while being experimented on. Do assigned chores for the day. Eat roll. Try to sleep on the ground. Try not to think about anything; just survive. Repeat. _*Flash*_

Finn plays with a black beetle lying on his cell floor. It is the first animal life he has ever seen there and it is utterly beautiful. He clasps it in his hand and tries to snuggle with it, pretending it is Jake. The beetle morphs into a glowing red demon the size of a cat and bites his chest. Hot pain clutches his heart and he convulses. The guards give him an antidote for the lethal bite within minutes and then make him scrub all the bathrooms in the facility during the hours he is usually allowed to sleep. It is punishment for making them use such a costly medicine on someone as "worthless" as him. _*Flash*_

Finn gets a new cell mate, a wizard they captured wandering the boundaries of the village. Desperate for any interaction that wasn't violent, Finn befriends the kind old man. He has a scraggly gray beard, smiling gray eyes, blue skin, and a surprisingly large, strong body. Finn asks him every day if he's seen his sister. The man listens to him talk about his adventures, Jake, Susan, and the girl he is in "like like" with, who he's going to give a big smooch if he ever sees her again (I assumed that was me). He tells him a lot about me- how he hopes she's not too worried since they don't let him write to her, how beautiful my hair is when I wear it up, how I'm so good at science, and how hard I'm working to find a cure for my mother's curse. _*Flash*_

I feel my heart speed up hearing this emaciated, scarred, broken Finn still be able to light up while talking about me like this. Through all this, he's still not evil yet. He's still good, and sweet, and kind. I felt a physical pain in my chest seeing him suffer so much, but I also felt a gripping elation when I thought _'Glob, I think I'm falling in love with Finn the Human.'_

The old wizard leans in and whispers to Finn one night "I have something to cheer you up."

Finn stares at him blankly. "You're going to tell me this whole place is a sucky dream?"

The man chuckled, "No, I'm giving you this."Finn felt a small weight drop into his tunic pocket and peeked inside to see the vial of purple liquid. "If you ever get out of here, you'll have a way to be that pretty pink girl's knight in shining armor. Just be sure to follow the instructions exactly."

Finn's darkly hollowed eyes brimmed with happiness, "Dude, this is way math. They're going to kill you if they ever find out you gave this to me."

The man grinned, "I'm old. I'm probably going to die in here, and I'd rather it be sooner than later. Also, I wouldn't mind if it was for a noble cause to help a young hero like you."

Finn hides the vial carefully in between two stones in the wall and hugs the old, tired man. "Thanks, dude. I thought I lost my soul juices in this place until you came here…even though I wish you weren't here."

"I wish the same thing for you, young Finn." _*Flash*_

Finn completes his training and as reward is presented with a dark brown, flowing, linen cloak. He is wary to trust them giving him something so nice, but he can't resist trying it when his lead trainer says it will give him the power to _fly._ He shrugs it on and grins broadly at how good it feels. He immediately stands straighter and looks stronger. He takes off into the sky with such ease and is able to twist any direction he wants in the blink of an eye. For the first time since before Susan died, he laughs. _*Flash*_

Finn is getting better food and accommodations. He walks erect and has the same demeanor as the lizard-humans. He is never seen not wearing his hooded cloak. His expression is hard and distant when he sees the old wizard in passing one day. Even when he learns the wizard has died, all Finn does is look angry for a few minutes and then go about his day as usual. _*Flash*_

Finn is in such a trusted position that he is allowed to see Fionna. He simply nods at her and says "I'm glad to see you're doing well." He flinches back when she hugs him and then voluntarily excuses himself to "train more." She screeches for him to stay and he never turns back. He requests that the guards not punish her for her insolence. _*Flash*_

Finn is given a letter with loopy ice handwriting- that jank wedding invitation the Ice king was giving to everyone! At first Finn is convinced it was a ruse from the other lizard humans trying to toy with his emotions to manipulate him somehow. Then, as he unfolds the invite completely, a small piece of paper flutters to the ground. He picks it up and sees my handwriting from the last letter I've ever written to him, but it has been tampered with. The bottom part of the letter is ripped off, so all it says is

"Dearest Finn,

I am engaged to the Ice King. Please come…"

Finn's chest rises and falls with anger and he rips the paper to pieces. He thinks I have betrayed him. In fact, the cloak has bound itself to his heart in a way so strong that he thinks all the people he loves the most have betrayed him. In that moment he makes a decision. Now that he is trusted and given more freedom, he will devise a plan to free himself and Fionna, killing anyone he has to in the process. Then he would go back to Ooo, give me the cure for my mother so that he no longer had any ties to me, and kill the Ice King before he had the chance to consummate the marriage.

He thought of the Ice King picking me up and lying me on his stanky penguin bed, and slowly lifting my dress up. He swiftly punched a hole in the wall with an angry shout before he could finish the thought. _*Flash*_

Finn walks outside trying to conceive a plan to escape. He is grinning pleasantly because he has been given access to all of his old clothes, including his much missed bear hat and the blue cloth from me that he reluctantly tied to his ankle (he simply wears them under the cloak). He stops suddenly as he sees Fionna being dragged, kicking and screaming, to an experimentation facility. Even though four guards are restraining her, she manages to bite one of their hands so hard that his blood drips on the ground. He slaps her audibly across the face with the back of his scaly hand, leaving a rapidly swelling bruise and streaks of blood from his bite. Fionna only thrashes more, screaming like a feral animal.

A guard comes up behind her with a sterile, sleek, shiny metal stick. Finn feels his heart stop as he watches. He has the sudden urge to take the cloak off and run to her, but the control it has over him has left him paralyzed. His eyes are wide with horror.

The metal stick is not loud like the others. It is pressed directly to her neck and makes a small hissing sound. Finn is confused. There is no bang or outpouring blood. Fionna looks up at him with tears, hurt, loneliness, and pleading in her green eyes- the eyes that look just like Susan's. Then she goes limp.

Finn does not know if Fionna is alive or dead. All he knows is that he was going to use every ounce of will power to resist the willpower of the cloak. If this escape attempt fails and they both die, then fine. Anything was better than serving these monsters for the rest of their lives.

Finn charges bellowing a deep war cry. He knocks down a guard with what was called a "machine-gun" before any of them have time to react. The guard he has knocked over tries to convince him that machine gun is very unsafe to use since they have never let him even shoot a "pistol" before (whatever the junk that is). Finn lowers the gun like he's going to hand it over and the guard carefully edges over to take it back. Everyone is stark still watching, except for poor Fionna, who is slumped in her dirty, gray tunic in the soil.

Just as the guard places his hand on the gun, Finn shoves it into his gut, knocking the wind out of him. Within seconds, Finn grabs the man's head as he is about to retaliate and a small *crack!* is heard as Finn breaks his neck. There is silence and then a thud when Finn lets him drop to the ground. That sound was the cue for all cabbage to break loose. Deafening barrages of bullets hurl Finn's way, but he has flown up into the air, his aviation so graceful that he easily dodges the shots. He pulls the machine gun up, quickly observing it and trying to remember everything he's seen about how the guards use the evil things. After a series of clicks, while still dodging shots, Finn activates the heavy, cold device. The kick from the shots spins bullets madly through the sky before he finally gains control of the thing and aims it towards the ground. All he can smell is the burning powder. He kills any and everyone not anywhere near where Fionna is and loses tracks of how many people he sees fall.

He shoots the box that powers the left side of the electric dome fence over the complex, swoops down to grab Fionna while people still run for cover, and flies away. He drops the gun with its dying people. He never wanted to use one of those again. _*Flash*_

Finn is so happy to see Fionna stir from the tranquilizer shot as he sets up their campfire. He even allows her to hug him. His happiness quickly dissipates, however, when she acts so disgusted at his zeal to kill the Ice King. She even edges away a little, like she is actually _frightened_ of him. The nerve of her ungratefulness- not even being willing to help her own brother in a quest when he just saved her life! Without another word, he gives her the game he has killed and a vat of water, and flies away, leaving her in the middle of the wilderness of Aaa. _*Flash*_

"Enough!" came the very pained shout of present day Finn, who had not said or done anything for quite a while, "I can't flippin' take this anymore! You already know the rest of the story, ok! You know what a crud-dud person I am now!" He clutched his sides and was bent over in shame.

"Whoa, man, that wasn't you!" said Jake going over to him.

"Well then who the flip was it, Jake?" he bellowed. "Who was it that left my sister in the middle of the wilderness all malnourished and weak? Who was it that almost killed you just to get revenge on the Ice King? Who was it that didn't even care when that nice old wizard man I made friends with died? Can you tell me who that was, Jake? CAN YOU? BECAUSE I WANT TO KILL HIM!"

"Finn, it was the cl-"

He bolted upright and pointed at him threateningly, "Don't you dare say it was my cloak! If I'm such a hero, then why couldn't I resist with my mind some crappy piece of clothing?"

I tried to approach Finn, too, but he put up his hands to stop me. Tears poured down his face and he wouldn't look me in the eyes, "No, princess, I don't deserve you."

I pushed his hands down and grabbed the collar of his shirt, pulling it inches from my face. "Excuse me, but I think I deserve to decide what I want! And I want you! You can't blame yourself for what you did while your mind was taken over in that horrible place."

"Princess, I-"

"Let's wake up, Finn." I said gently.

I was stiff as I sat up from the blankets we'd been set on while we were out. I blinked my eyes open and saw Fionna and Marceline jamming around a campfire while Cake napped. I wondered how Fionna found Cake and restored her memory.

A few seconds later Jake sat up and then Finn bolted up, gasping for air. He let out a tortured scream and Fionna and Marcie ran over.

"Finn?" said Fionna as she took his hand, "Yo, bro, what's-"

"I'M SO SORRY FIONNA!" he collapsed into her arms sobbing.

She squeezed him, "I know, dude, I know."

Finn hiccupped and burrowed his face deep into her shoulder as he moaned. Her face stretched into a frown and tears silently flowed down her rosy cheeks she stroked his head. Finn was now muttering "Susan, Susan, I'm sorry Aunt Susan. I killed you, Aunt Susan."

"Finn, don't say that junk." choked Fionna. She hung her head and her thick golden hair fell into his face, strands sticking to it from the streaks of moisture on it.

"She'd be better off if I never found her. I thought I was helping her- showing her life up here. She should have stayed down with those fish people."

Fionna said nothing. Softly and weakly, with his voice breaking, Finn sang "How long have you lived in the darkness? I just want to show you the light. Because you're a human just like me Susan and I want you in my life…"

I was watching the last 2 known pure bred humans on the planet in a very private, vulnerable moment of pain. I felt like an outsider, and I think everyone did. Finn and Fionna were amazing fighters, but it was easy to forget that watching them crumpled there. They were just masses of soft, pale flesh, and soft, wispy hair. No claws. No sharp teeth. Just pure scrappiness and will power kept them alive and slaying evil.

Finn and Fionna fell asleep collapsed on each other like that. Cake and Jake curled up on top of them to help comfort them and keep them warm, just like the piles both of the humans slept in as children with their animal siblings.

Marceline and I looked at each other awkwardly. There was not much to say after what had just happened. Finally she muttered, "Well, we 'rescued' Finn. What do we do now?"

"I don't know. I've never seen him like that."

Without another word, I scrounged up a few blankets and curled myself up behind Finn under Jake's warm gut.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Marceline left some time in the night to do whatever it is that Marceline does. When I woke up, I found Finn already awake, staring up at the clouds and humming a lullaby under his breath.

"Listen man, Lady Rainicorn and I aren't married yet." Jake told Finn as he walked up to him.

Finn looked at him and cocked his head, "Why not? Did you guys break up?"

"Naw, man, we're livin' together. She wanted a long engagement, anyway, but the biggest reason was because we wanted you to be there. You're my best man."

"Shmow-zow, really! I'm so happy for you, dude! I've never been to a wedding- it's not gonna be gross, is it?"

"Whatever, Finn, I know you're not as grossed out by kissing as you used to be." He turned is face into a giant pair of plump kissy lips making smacking sounds, "I bet you wanna do this to Bubblegum right now!"

Finn flashed a look at me and turned red. I pretended to be preparing breakfast and not listening, but I couldn't help but break into a smile. Finn elbowed Jake and pleaded "Dude, cut it out. She's right there!"

"So what, man? You're older now and you said you would come back for her when you were older."

Finn hung his head and stood, "Yeah, but I'm all messed up now. She should be with-"

"Hey, shut your face." said Jake, stretching his jowls and slapping Finn's cheeks gently, "Remember how you put bad stuff in the vault?" Finn stared at him. "Come on, dude- put it in the vault!"

Finn sighed, "Ok." He shut his eyes and clenched like he was gonna poop and then said "There. It's in the vault!"

"Yeah, dude, what time is it?" grinned Jake.

"Repression time!" laughed Finn. They fist pumped and walked away. Guys are un-freaking-believable in their methods of coping.

After breakfast Fionna and Cake bade farewell to everyone. I summoned The Morrow to take them back to Aaa. She had some business to attend to, and she said she had some friends that she really missed (she started to blush when Cake started prodding her, asking who she was going to see first).

She stood on her tiptoes to hug Finn. "Goodbye, brother. Keep adventuring, ok?"

"Yeah, sis." he said as he squeezed her. "Hey, every winter at the tree house we used to always watch movies in bulky sweaters and drink hot chocolate. You wanna come stay with us for a while when we do that?"

"Whoa, that sounds _large!"_ she grinned slyly, "Can I bring someone? In addition to Cake?"

"Yeah, sure, who is it?"

Fionna stared at the ground and blushed, "Well, I do have someone in mind."

"Yeah, that's math. Love ya, Fi."

She smiled up at him and moved her hair out of her face, "Love you, too Finn."

Her and Cake climbed on my gigantic bird and waved. "See you lards this winter!"

Finn watched them until they were out of sight and kept staring off at the sky until a basket on a parachute hit him in the back of the head.

"Oww!" He picked up the package and looked inside, "Sandwiches?"

"Hey, dude, there's a note inside." Jake reached into the basket, unrolled the parchment, and read "'Finn and Jake, our daughter has been kidnapped and is being held in the fire kingdom! We're pretty sure she's not in immediate danger, seeing as lumpy space beings are fireproof, but we bet she's really uncomfortable! Please rescue her and accept these delicious sandwiches as payment made with my special lumpy recipe. Many thanks from the King and Queen of Lumpy Space.'"

"Aww, dude, LSP is in trouble. Let's go!" said Finn as he stood.

"Man, I hope we don't run into your evil ex again. I guess I'll drop a line to Lady that we'll be a few more days." Jake sighed.

"Ok, Princess, I guess we'll take you back to the candy kingdom and then we'll go adventuring!" said Finn, turning to me.

"Finn, I want to be an adventurer now, too! Look, I'm still wearing my outdoorsy overalls and I haven't bathed in a while. I fit right in!"

Finn looked at my purple outfit, "Princess, I think you're a little- OUCH, Jake!"

Jake had elbowed him and quickly shook his head. Finn seemed a little slow to catch on, but I guess he figured calling me delicate or whatever he was going to say was not a good idea. "Umm, sure, PB. What time is it?"

"Whoo-hoo!" I jumped up and fist-pumped. Finn and Jake gave me confused looks. "Oh yeah. I mean, adventure time!" They both cheered and we set out.

It took us a few hours to reach the Fire Kingdom, even riding on Jake with his legs stretched super long. I wrapped my arms around Finn's waist most of the way and just listened to his and Jake's banter. I wondered if this is how their adventures always were; they just talked about monsters, food and video games most of the way. Finn would place his hand on top of mine every once in a while or lean back against me and take in a small breath furtively. I couldn't be sure, but I think he smelled my hair. They got kind of distracted along the way. We stopped 3 times- once to rescue a watermelon family from a hungry bear, once to help a gnome find ingredients for soup, and once to have pie with tree trunks.

When we reached the outskirts of the Fire kingdom it was almost sunset, and my two friends were ready to just waltz right in.

"Wait, you guys, we can't go in now!" I said, grabbing them both by the back of the neck.

"Why not?" they both said at once.

"When does a flame burn brightest?" I asked in the same tone that one does when explaining the complexity of braniac stuff to an inattentive child.

"When you fart on it!" said Jake proudly.

I gave him a quizzical look, "Well, that's not what I meant."

"Oh." His ears hung down sadly.

"A flame burns brightest when it's dark. If you go in there now then soon the flame people will be at their strongest and you won't have much of a chance of fighting them if it comes to that."

"Whoa, I didn't know that! See, Finn, I told you having someone sciency with us would come in handy!" said Jake.

Finn blushed and glared at him, "Yeah dude, I never said she wouldn't!" He laughed nervously and I just rolled my eyes as I walked away.

We set up camp and ate the rest of the sandwiches. As we sat around the fire, Jake started telling us ghost stories.

"And then, when the little campers woke up," he put his hands up and bared his teeth, _"there was no more pizza left!"_

"Dude, that story was lame sauce." said Finn. He was carving something out of a large tree branch and looked disinterested.

"Oh yeah, well you tell one!" Jake crossed his arms and muttered and insulted "Hmphh!"

Just as Finn was about to retort, Jake went flying into the air! "Oh my glob, I'm gonna diiieee!"

I gasped, but Finn just grinned, "Marcie, cut it out! You're gonna make him pee himself."

Jake dropped on the ground and Marceline apparated above him with an amused smirk, "Whatever, Finny, I'm just having some fun! How's my little weenie doing?"

"We're just setting up camp before we kick some fire people butt to rescue LSP tomorrow. If you wanted to hang out you could have just said so!"

Marceline hissed and grabbed his neck, "Shut up, twerp!"

"You want some noodles?" Finn asked quickly, trying to appease her.

Her gaze softened and she loosened her grip, "Sure. Are they red?"

"No, but I have tobasco sauce."

"Awesome." She sat down on the log next to Jake and started adding kindling to the fire. Jake still looked shaken up and scooted a little farther away from her.

Somehow we always have fun when noodles are involved. It's hard to believe that I was so happy just talking about random junk around a camp fire. There's so much outside of being royal that I just loved. Everything seemed to be enhanced sitting next to Finn. Whenever he would laugh with that deep, occasionally cracking voice, or sing a duet with Marceline, or lean in close to me so that I could feel the heat coming from his body, I thought my heart would leap out of my chest (not literally. I know the heart is not the actual center of emotion in the body). He just kept carving that wood thing thinner and thinner the whole time with his wiry, large hands. I couldn't figure out what it was and he wouldn't tell anyone. The next thing I knew it was late, and everyone started getting ready for bed.

When I left to go find Finn, I saw him and Jake in a nearby clearing. I stopped before I approached them, though. The moment just looked too private for me to barge in on. They were brothers who had not seen each other in 2 years, so of course they should have this time together to catch up.

Before I turned around to leave, I saw Finn lay his head on top of Jake's back, scratching behind his ears with tears slowly and silently coming down his face. Apparently "the vault" wasn't completely effective.

I wandered back to the bonfire and found Marceline softly singing one of her songs.

She looked up and a lock of ebony hair fell in between her eyes. A gentle smile parted her lips. "Hey, how's Finn doing?"

I frowned while shaking my head silently. That seemed to tell her everything.

"He'll come around. Just give him time. I know you mortals don't have much of it, but that's all he needs." She continued to strum cords on her bass.

"No," I said, looking angrily at the ground, "what he needs is his family. They're all being taken from him, though! How's he going to ever be the same?"

"He's not going to be, but you act like he's had a perfect life and he's just too delicate to handle anything." She raised an eyebrow at me and patted the empty spot on the log next to her.

I sat down and smiled at the thought of Finn's resilience, "I know he's lost people before. Sometimes it's hard to remember that, though because he's just so positive. He's compassionate. Even though he's exposed to evil so much when he fights it, he's remained so innocent. Sometimes I kind of envy that about him."

Marceline barked out a loud laugh and I shot her an indignant look, "You act like he's always going to be as innocent as when he was dropped on your doorstep in a poopy diaper! Look, innocence is precious, but it's fleeting. He's 16 years old now, so eventually he's going to lose some of that."

"I don't think he ever has to." I muttered.

"Oh, what?" she said, still giggling a little bit and slapping me on the arm, "You don't want him to ever figure out what sex is? He's a 16-year-old, so it's a little sad he hasn't yet!"

I felt my face burning and I scrunched up my face. "Marceline, that's-"

"What, _too distasteful?" _she said, leaning in and making her voice higher pitched in that same way she used to always make fun of my voice. "Pshh, look who I'm talking to- _you_ haven't even figured it out yet." She shook her head, laughing quietly as she prodded the dying fire.

I stood up and stomped my foot. I was fuming; I couldn't believe I actually thought talking to her would actually make me feel better! I wanted to tell her that even though I hadn't done it, that I knew how it worked, but I knew that would only cause her to ridicule me more. I wanted to get back at her for all the times she made fun of me and throw her a curve ball she really didn't expect. I wouldn't _lie_ to her; I would just lead her to faulty assumptions.

I smoothed my shirt and sat back down calmly, "And how do _you_ know I haven't figured it out?"

"Oh, so that's why you created Lemongrab! Is he always screaming because he's traumatized from what you made him do with that long nose?" she barely finished her last sentence because she was cackling so hard. I was so mad that I wanted to throw something at her, but I had to keep my cool if I wanted her to believe me.

"No, Marceline. You know that's not true."

She suddenly stopped laughing. I couldn't believe I was actually pulling this off. "Wait, so, not before you and I were-"

"No." I said simply. I wasn't going to say it. I wanted her to draw it out herself.

"So, you never dated anyone after me?" she asked, pursing her lips and tapping her chin. This had turned into a fun guessing game.

"Nope."

"Well, you had so many suitors falling over just for one kiss from you. I suppose you could have had anyone you wanted if you got _curious."_ She said her last word very suggestively and licked her fangs. She was just trying to embarrass me so I would lose my cool and tell her, but I wasn't going to fall for that.

"Now, you already know I'm not the type to do that with someone unless I'm very close with them."

"What the stuff, are you _serious?"_ Marceline slapped the log and leaned in to stare into my eyes as she whispered, "Are you trying to tell me you and that little weenie deflowered each other?"

"I really don't think my sex life is any of your business." I said coldly. Her face sank. I didn't tell her a single lie, but by having her last guess be the only one I didn't deny, she thought just what I wanted her to.

I thought Marceline would punch my arm while congratulating me and ask me how it was, but she just stared at the fire embers. Her mouth was slightly parted and he shoulders were sloped. Within a few seconds, she regained herself and smiled at me, "Well, that's great! I knew you'd be good for each other. I think I'm gonna go to bed."

She got up quickly and suddenly I realized what was happening, "Marceline, wait."

She sighed and reluctantly turned around. "Yeah, Bonni? I'm really tired."

I took a deep breath, wondering why I was even asking this "When Flame Princess said you weren't over me- that was true, wasn't it?"

She thought for a little bit and then said quietly, "Does it really matter if it is?"

"I, um…" she had a point. We still wouldn't get back together if she did. "I guess not, I just don't understand. Why are you so helpful in Finn and I's relationship if you still feel that way?"

She started to float away from me and said, "Because I can't stand to love another person who just dies on me when I can't die with them."

I suddenly felt huge surge of guilt. I couldn't believe my little prank actually caused her pain. I got up and ran to catch up with her. "Wait, please, I'm sorry!"

She rolled her eyes, "Sorry for _what? _You can make your own decisions._" _

"I never had sex with Finn- I just wanted to get you to stop making fun of me! I don't even know what a naked guy looks like!"

A broad smile spread across Marceline's face and she bolted up in the air while pointing at me and yelling "HAAAA!"

"Ummm," I muttered. This was an unexpected mood shift…as usual from her.

"Geez, Bonni, you mortals are priceless!" she said in between her laughter, "You _always_ fall for the lonely-heartsick act! I knew if I pulled that little show you'd tell me the truth!"

I growled angrily and balled my hands into fist, "You jerkwad!"

"Oh, and speaking of naked people," she lowered herself down to me, tilted my chin up, and whispered to me, "_Finn's seen me naked. _Looks like he's more experienced than you."

"WHAT?" I yelled, and then covered my mouth as we heard Jake stir a few trees over before resuming his snores. Marceline chuckled at me under her breath and floated away.

I pulled a lock of her hair down until I could grab her face and look her in the eye, _"You're lying."_

She just grinned at me, those little fangs sticking out, "I'm a lot of things, but I'm no liar." We both knew that was the exact same thing she said to me when I first met her as a little pink girl, running off on an adventure for the first time.

"So then, you two…" I trailed off and I felt like I needed to sit down. I felt like an idiot for never seeing Marceline as competition, considering how much she and Finn chilled together. What actually hurt me was thinking that Finn wouldn't tell me about it.

'_Well_,' said a stinging bite of guilt in my head, '_you've never told him you were with Marceline, either._'

"Oh glob, Bonni, snap out of it!" said Marceline, pulling my body up, "You can be so touchy."

"Well, sorry…" I said distantly.

She rolled her eyes, grabbed my face, and looked me dead in the eye. For a split second I thought she was going to kiss me, but then she said "I've kissed Finn, but just little pecks to mess with him. You know I do junk like that."

"Well, then-"

"When he saw me it was an _accident._ That's it. I didn't even know about it until later."

"You're such a butt, Marceline! I can't believe you made me think it was more than that!" I was suddenly angry again, but I couldn't help twitching my mouth up in a faint smile of relief. Still, it was a little weird that Finn had seen Marceline naked and I'd only seen from the waist-up one time.

"Oh, please, I just pulled the same prank on you that you tried on me! I'm over 1000 years old and you don't think I can figure out your little mind games?"

"Fine, whatever!" I spat, "I only did it because I wanted you to stop making fun of me! I couldn't believe I actually thought talking to you would make me feel better." I crossed my arms and stuck my lower lip out.

I then childishly picked up a hand full of twigs and chucked them at her, which she easily dodged. Of course.

"_Don't_ you feel better, though?" she said with a smirk.

"What the cabbage, Marceline, of course I don't!"

"Are you sure? Because when you came to me you were angry at the world for taking away Finn's family. You can't throw twigs at the world or yell at the world and have it hear you. It feels a lot better to be mad at me, doesn't it?"

My mouth hung open. There was that ancient wisdom that came out once in a blue moon from Marcie.

She chuckled, "Sleep well, PB. I hope you have nice sexy dreams about Finn." She floated off to go to sleep.

I walked around for a while and smiled. Was that always what Marceline was secretly doing when she trolled on people- helping them out? It was such a funny paradox, that the nicest thing she could do for a person was to just give them someone to be angry at.

I found Finn lying on the ground and staring up at the stars.

"Hey." I smiled.

He jumped a little and looked over at me, "Hey, PB."

"Would it be alright if I slept next to you? It's kind of cold."

He sat up quickly, blushing, and spread his blankets out for me. "Ye-yeah, you know, just because it's cold, right?" Deeper voice, but same amount of bashfulness- it was utterly adorable.

"No," I said, looking down at the ground and tucking my hair behind my ear, "That's not the main reason." I crawled under the blankets and hugged his lean body gently.

His breathing hitched and he timidly squeezed me back, "So, um, can I ask what the main reason is?"

"Because," I put my hand on his chest and sat up to look into his blue eyes, "I have daydreamed so much over the past 2 years about being able to snuggle up to you."

He gave me a huge grin and pinched himself, "You're not gonna lump out on me for sleeping too close to you this time, right?" he asked, chucking.

I shook my head, still keeping my eyes locked on his, "I thought I lost you yesterday, Finn. I thought for an awful few minutes that you killed yourself."

"I'm really sorry I-"

"Shhh, don't apologize for anything you did while wearing that cloak. I knew you weren't you." he nodded, "Anyways, when that happened, I had all these regrets run through my head. I wished I'd been nicer to you. I wish I hadn't acted like that stupid age freezing formula was so important…"

I trailed off of my guilt ramblings when he pulled me closer to him by the small of my back and stared at my lips fixedly. He stroked my hair gently with his other hand and he sat up so that he was leaning over me. I concentrated on keeping my breathing even as I felt how nicely I fit into the hold of his body now and how strong his features had become. I slowly pulled his hat off his head and his blond hair fell around his face. It had grown down to his shoulders, it smelled sweet and it was a little damp, so apparently he took a bath in the stream while I had my spat with Marceline. His blue eyes smiled at me and I quickly wondered how different he really was from all the growing up he had to do in Aaa.

He leaned in a little bit more and I let out a breath of anticipation. His hands ran down into my hair and pulled me the rest of the way towards him. When he kissed me, it was not like the few timid, sweet, innocent kisses we'd shared before. His movements had a confidence and firmness to them. He sucked my lip in and pulled it just a little. I shuddered and ran my tongue along his upper lip. Usually that's where one of our kisses would end, but that time he pulled me tighter towards him and met my tongue with his. Warmth spread through my body as I ran my hands down Finn's broad, toned back and inhaled his sweet scent. He moved his lips against mine as his tongue worked in a way that made me feel like I could never get enough. I felt a hard lump against my leg, and once I figured out what that was it only made me kiss him back harder.

I remembered Marceline's taunting words, "I hope you have nice sexy dreams about Finn." _To cabbage with dreams,_ I thought.

I crawled on top of him, straddled my legs over his lap, and pinned his wrists down with my hands. My lips moved down to his neck and I heard a soft moan escape his lips. The warmth between my legs flared and I pressed against him. Suddenly, he pushed my shoulders gently back and sat up.

"What's up?" I said. I was still straddled on him and he blushed as he averted his gaze. Bad choice of words- obviously I knew one thing was up.

"Peebles, I really want to sleep next to you, but I can't." he said, flinching at his last word.

"Why not?" I asked, frowning.

"Because…because…ugh, this is embarrassing. I wish I could, like, just hire a panda to tell you than me have to say it." he face-palmed himself and I tilted his chin up towards me.

"You don't have to be embarrassed, my knight. What's wrong?"

His face lit up like it always did when I called him that, "Nothing, I think, I just want to be a gentleman, like a good knight would be."

"Well, then let's go to sleep." I shrugged.

I saw his eyes flicker to my chest and he looked away quickly. "I'm sorry, PB. I just don't feel like I'll be able to keep my hands off you if we do that. I want to do all this right. I know it's cold, and you can have all my blankets. I'll just stretch Jake out and use him as a blanket, ok, Peebs?"

"Oh, Finn." I smiled at him.

"Are you mad at me? I don't want you to think I wasn't enjoying that, because it was totally mathematical. I would give up fighting monsters for a whole month if we could do that another time."

I pecked him on the cheek and said, "No, I'm not mad at you. I think that is really sweet."

"I just-"he looked down at the blankets and smiled, "last night was one of the worst nights of my life, remembering all that stuff…"

"Oh, Finn, I know."

"…but you made tonight one of the best nights. Thanks." He smiled up at me.

I got off of him and gave him a hug, "Goodnight, Finn."

"Goodnight, PB."

We sat there a few seconds and he smiled awkwardly.

"Aren't you getting up to go make your Jake blanket?" I asked.

"Umm, I will. In a minute." He shifted uncomfortably. I smiled inwardly. Marceline had told me once why guys have trouble getting up sometimes after making out.

After a bit Finn got up, kissed my forehead, and tucked the blankets in around me. He stood up like he was about to walk away, but then leaned in next to my ear and whispered in that slightly husky voice, "You are the most rhombus girl in the world, Peebles."

I smiled at him and felt my stomach flutter. I'm pretty sure that was Finn's way of telling me I was beautiful. I watched him walk away and fell asleep within five minutes.

My sweet, grown up Finn. My new knight.

_Author's note: Well, there you go, that is probably the dirtiest I will ever write! I'm blushing just thinking of posting this! A lot of fluff, but this has got to be my favorite part of the story so far. Playing with Marceline's and PB's banter is especially fun. Please vote in the poll I posted if you want to see specific shippings in the story! R&R por favor._


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8: The Lesson**

_I'm sitting on a chair reading the instructions to the chemistry set Mama got me. I'm so short that my feet with the laced socks don't touch the floor. I swing them back and forth as I read when I feel firm, grubby little baby hands grab hold of one. I peek over the edge of my seat and see little Finn. He's looking up at me with random teeth sticking out in his smile. His footie pajamas are tight on his hips and tummy._

"_Aww, hey little chunk! Looks like we're gonna have to sew you more clothes again!" I hop off the chair and hoist him up. I have to hold him with both arms and arch my tiny back to support his weight; he's bigger than my torso!_

_Finn reaches up and yanks the bow pinning up my hair. Several locks of pink fall in front of my face and he grabs one, beginning to pull and chew on it._

"_Ouch, Finn, cut it out!" I snap. His lips jut out and tears well up in his eyes. "Oh, I'm sorry, Finn. You're just hungry. Here, let me get you some sandwich juice from peanut-butter-jelly-man."_

_I'm not even gone for a minute when I hear a big blast coming from my room. In my high pitched, 6-year-old voice I run back to the room yelling "Oh, globglobglobglobglobglob! Glob!"_

_I swing the door open and there is Finn giggling so hard that he starts coughing. Somehow he had opened my chemistry set and mixed together enough things to blow up and send neon orange, purple, and green goop all over my room._

"_Finn? Holy cabbage, are you hurt?" I run up to him and check all of his extremities, but he only laughs harder because I'm tickling him. He falls back onto the floor like a little rolly polly, scoops his hand in some orange goop, and pops it in his mouth._

"_Finn, don't do that, those are-" I'm shut up when he sticks his other hand with purple goop in my mouth. "Mmmm! This taste like grape!"_

"_Mmmm." Finn hummed in his higher pitched voice, like he always did when he mimicked me._

"_I guess we won't have to get peanut-butter-jelly-man after all!" I giggled and scooped some green goop into my mouth. I stuck my tongue out and gagged, "Eww, don't try that. The green one is flavored like boogers!"_

_Finn's eyes widen like he's enticed, scoops some green goop into his mouth before I can stop him, and hums "Mmmm!"_

"_Heh heh! You gross little boy. Thanks for lunch!" I squeeze him to me and he giggles as he squirms away._

_Instead of saying "you're welcome," he sloshes some of the booger goop in my face. Apparently that was his favorite._

I wake up with a smile and look around for baby Finn. Instead I see almost-17-year-old-Finn sitting on a log near me and testing the string on a shiny, new, dark wooden bow. He has a pile of apple cores next to him the size of my head, a few crusts from an entire loaf of bread, and a half eaten giant block of cheese. He sure did eat a lot more than he used to! I giggled as I thought about calling him "little chunk" like in my dream.

He looked up at me when he heard my laugh and gave me a toothy grin, "Hey, PB. I'm glad you're finally awake!"

"Finally?" I said in a tired voice as I sat up and stretched, "It's barely sunrise!" Finn's form so well complimented the light of the sun rise. The golden glow cast over the whole land reflected well of the tiny, soft, blond hairs all over his legs, arms and chin. He looked like he had a thin hallow around him. His body was long, lean, and muscular, although I wasn't sure if that was from the near starvation he'd experienced in The Beyond, or if that was just from growing too fast and all his baby fat stretching out. My memory flashed to the previous night and I averted my gaze when I remembered his intoxicating smell, the way his back felt under my hands, and the feel of his soft hair brushing my cheek.

"Yeah, well, I don't sleep as much as other people do." He shrugged.

I'd barely heard him, "Huh?" Glob, I was so used to him being the one who was dopey and head over heels. Was this what he experienced around me all those years we were friends before he went to Aaa?

A deep, quiet chuckle resonated in his throat and he held up the bow, "I have a like-like gift for you, PB."

I gazed at the beautiful, dark, elegant bow. It looked intimidating. "You got that for me? Finn, where did you buy that?"

"It's what I was carving all last night."He held it up to admire it but then suddenly shrunk his shoulders in self-consciously, "You don't like it, do you?"

I jumped up and ran over to him, stopping to feel the smoothness of the weapon, "No, I love it. It's beautiful. I just don't know how I could ever learn to use something like this."

"Well, that's why I'm gonna teach you!" he exclaimed eagerly, "You're first lesson begins right now! Come on; wipe the sleepy from your eyes!"

I put my hand up to my mouth and stifled a yawn, "Ugh, you're a morning person?"

"Yeah, Jake doesn't like that, either." he sighed.

"Just lemme sleep a while longer." I slurred, heading back to the blankets.

"Look, you want to be an adventurer, right?"

"Yeah." I stopped and smacked my lips, making a face at my own morning breath.

"Well, then, you should at least be able to use one weapon so you can defend yourself just in case Jake and I aren't there. You've gotta be able to righteously slay any evil that gnashes your game at any second." His balled his hand in a fist and stared off at some imaginary evil.

I sighed, "Do I _have_ to learn right now?"

"If you don't then Jake and I can leave you here to watch the camp while we rescue LSP." he said sternly.

"What? That's lame!"

"Well, then, come on-first lesson. We're leaving as soon as it's full day light." He certainly was more assertive with me than when we were 14. I kind of liked that, though. With how assertive I am, I like someone who can challenge me. That's probably the only reason Marcie and I lasted as long as we did. I smiled and nodded, which made his face light up.

He took me to the edge of the clearing where he'd set up a bunch of old shoes on logs to shoot at. I snatched the bow from him and immediately pulled the string back, arching my back to yank it as hard and quickly as possible. I thought he would like my enthusiasm. Instead he placed his hands on mine and said gently, "That's not how you hold a bow, Peebs."

"Ugh, well then why did you even pick a bow for me? Its obvs I'm no good at it!" I had already gotten frustrated and shoved the thing back in his hands.

He shoved the bow back, following it until he was inches from my face, "I picked it for you because it is light and fast, like you. A bow is slender, elegant, beautiful, and surprisingly easy to travel with even though it looks high maintenance- like you. A ranged hero doesn't have to be muscular or big. They have to be good at aiming and stealth, and I bet your sciency physics stuff will help with the aiming."

I looked down and blushed at the intensity in his voice, "So, you don't think I'd be so good at stealth?"

"You're bright pink, PB."

"Ahh, yes, I've noticed." I nodded feeling a little dumb. I was so used being the one teaching him stuff, and it embarrassed me to no end being the one out of my element for once.

I tried to internalize everything Finn said, but mostly I was just watching how concentrative he was explaining weaponry to me. I'd never seen him focus on anything so hard in my life, but I guess I never really paid attention to why he was such a good knight of my kingdom. My skin glowed with warmth where ever he touched it: when he positioned my fingers on the ideal spots of the bow, when he placed his cheek next to mine and I could hear his steady breath as he squinted one of his eyes closed and helped me concentrate my aim, and how he placed his hands gently on my hips to position me in the ideal stance. My hips were so eager to do what his hands wanted them to that I kept trying to overestimate where he was going to put them. After several tries and awkward laughs from both of us, I was able to relax the joints and let his hands guide them to the perfect spot.

"I don't understand how I'll ever do this in a fight. It's going to take me five minutes just to do one shot." I was standing, afraid to move out of fear I would mess up my stance or my finger placement. I felt like I had to think about a million things at once it made conducting research in my lab seemed like child's play.

"Don't spaz out. Before you know it your body will remember all the basic junk and it'll just feel natural."

He drew an arrow carefully out of the quiver he'd bought from Choose Goose early that morning while I was still sleeping and handed it to me.

"You want me to do it now?" I said uncertainly, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah, let's at least get a few shots in before we leave to the Fire Kingdom."

I took a deep breath and tried to string the arrow. It was shaky and unsure, and I dropped it off the end of the bow a few times. I kept glancing at Finn, who simply mouthed "You can do it."

I smiled and decided to think of it just as another physics experiment. I thought about the weight the bow would force upon the arrow, the approximate speed of the wind, and the weight of the arrow and condition of the fletching. Once the arrow was on I drew my hand back and looked at Finn for reassurance.

He smiled approvingly and stretched his body like he was shooting an imaginary bow. The tendons in his arms stretched and I could see the form of his chest pressed against his shirt. I shook my head and looked back to my target, closed one eye, and let go.

"Oww!" I shouted, looking down at my inner arm. As I released the arrow, the string stung me on the inside of my elbow, causing me to turn the bow up and send the arrow up into the tree on the last split second. The spot on my arm throbbed and a dark magenta bruise began to form.

"Aww, puppy bruise." muttered Finn gently, hovering his calloused fingers over my arm.

I couldn't help but snicker, _"Puppy bruise?"_

Finn snapped his head up from whatever random childhood memory my injury had evoked and started speaking loudly, "What? That's not what I said. I said, umm…'suppy boos!' Their a new punk band that Jake and Lady wanted you to come to."

Yeah right. I only put up with punk bands when I dated Marcie. "Ok, whatever, puppy boy!" I snatched off his hat and ruffled his hair. He yelped in surprise, his voice cracking, and snatched his hat back from me, laughing.

I started laughing so hard that I had to put the bow down to clutch my sides. When I stood back up Finn had grabbed both my shoulders, his eyes boring into mine with complete seriousness.

"Umm, Finn?" I was unsure if he was going to kiss me or yell at me for losing focus.

"PB," he said gently, not dropping his gaze, "I know you can do this. Whatever thoughts you have that make you think you can't, I want you to pretend you're shooting those dead when you hit that shoe."

I nodded without a word.

"If you're going to go with us, you'll need this eventually, ok? Your arm got hit because you can't have it turned in like that, ok? The inside of your arm must be straight."

I nodded again and started another try. Stance. Arrow placed. Fingers placed. Draw bow. Keep body straight. Keep inside of arm straight. Shut one eye. Steady breathing. Aim. _I can be an adventurer. No more puppy bruises._ _Release._

The arrow soared the 15 feet to hit that old, stupid boot dead center.

"Fantastisch!" I shouted in German, jumping up and squealing. "Oh, sorry. Not exactly stealthy."

"No, that was incredible, PB!" Finn pulled me into a rough, enthusiastic embrace and looked down at me and to the pierced boot over and over. "I think that's enough for today. Are you ready to have breakfast and leave?"

"No. I want to make sure that wasn't just a fluke." I said sternly. Before he could say anything, I had already drawn another arrow from behind my back.

Stance-arrow-fingers-draw-aim-_release. _The arrow cut into the top of the boot and soared downward until the raggedy shoe was hanging from the tree behind it.

"What the huh?" Finn's mouth gaped, "PB, that was algebraic-"

Another arrow drawn. Stance-arrow-fingers-draw. Breathe steady. Keep arm and hips straight. Aim. _Release._ Dead center-again.

Finn was stunned into silence. I could see him from the corner of my eye looking my body up and down as if I was a whole new person. I liked it. There was still one last boot. It was the farthest one away, and it looked like a little speck compared to the others.

Draw arrow. Stance. Place arrow. Place fingers. Draw. Breathe. Aim a little higher and a little to the left to account for added distance and wind. _Release. _Right in the toe of the boot.

I smiled smugly and turned to Finn. His mouth was still hanging open. I pushed it gently closed for him and pressed my body up against his. "So, how'd I do, puppy boy?"

He looked down at me and took a while to find his words, "When we get back from the Fire Kingdom, I am going to date you so hard."

"Oh yeah?"

"Totally, princess. Spaghetti dinner is your favorite, right? Whatever you want- as long as I can see you do _that_ some more."

"Sounds good to me, ya cutie." I ran my fingers down his chest and pecked his cheek, whispering in the sultriest voice I could manage, "Thanks for the lesson. You're a _great_ teacher." I had run my fingers slowly down and then stopped right at his naval as I said 'great.' I felt his breathing stop, wondering if it was going to go further, but then I turned and strutted away. "Let's go to the Fire Kingdom."

I took a quick bath in the stream while him, Jake, and Marceline packed up (she had apparently brought her protective sun gear, saying she had a "beef" to settle in the Fire Kingdom).

_Author's note: I am getting my inspiration for the description of Finn's older teen body from the Fubblegum piece of art belonging to z-nao-factor on devianART. He's got some amazing stuff, so check it out! My glob, this chapter was fun to write!_


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9: Nightfire**

_Author's note: The next two chapters are Flame Princess POV! The inspiration for this chapter came from my friend, Kelly, who is the first and only person I've heard say Marcie/FP would make a good couple, so I wanted to make a story around that and see how it might work. I decided to switch things up for this chapter to show that FP is not really *that* bad (any more). Also, her reckless actions have a lot to do with why LSP was kidnapped…Slightly customized song lyrics in here (that I do not own!) by The Killers' song, Mr. Brightside. Some of these reflections overlap events from chapter 9 of my last story, just in case anyone is confused._

I realized that I need to change my methods of gaining friends. When I wanted to be with Finn, I tried to burn him to a crisp. That didn't work out well. I just don't know why I felt like I had to force him to be with me. I mean, if I'd gotten my junk sorted out back then, would we still be together? I shouldn't have gotten that mad at Bubblegum or Jake, but I didn't know what else I could do. I felt like if I didn't scare them away then Finn would just get tired of me and tell me he didn't like me again (ok, I know by now that was just Jake's cowardly gut disguised as Finn telling me that, but it still scarred me for life).

Now that I look back on it, I know Finn liked me. He looked at me like I was the most beautiful girl in the world and he always went out of his way to be a gentleman. He would just listen to me talk forever, too. I could tell him about my controlling family, my nosy, pushy subjects, my dog, and my friends and he would just listen, even though all of his stories were so much more interesting. I tried to be sympathetic of the fact that he didn't know any other humans, but I secretly envied his freedom (I was also intimidated by it). I didn't have many friends. Most of the time I was kept in that lamp because I 'burned down another village' or 'went on a rampage.' Please, like it's that big of a deal- I'm just a hormonal teenager who needs to learn a better handle on my powers! I'm never going to learn that locked up all the time, and most of the time I get my servants to rebuild the villages I destroy.

Our first date was a dream. Gnome wrestling matches are so romantic. I still remember looking at the stars with him after it was over. I'd figured out how to cool my body down enough that I could lay on his chest as I asked him to tell me story after story. I was still warm enough that he was sweating, but not too badly. He dropped me off at home and I decided to just go for it and kiss him. It was awkward at first- like we were both surprised that I had enough guts to do it. Our arms just stretched out rigidly at our sides as we tried to figure out what to do. Then, he rested his hands on my shoulders and the muscles in his tight lips relaxed while mine did the same. I felt so happy for those few seconds and wanted to just kiss him there forever, but then I got too fired up and burned his lips. He yelped and pushed back from me, yanking some water out of his back pack and splashing it in his face. I felt horrible seeing that big blister start to form.

He called me when he got home and told me that Jake wouldn't stop making fun of him. I guess having a fire blister on his lips made it pretty obvious that we kissed on the first date. Luckily, they took some stuff from the Ice King that mended up his blister just like new. I thought maybe that meant we could try kissing again when we went to the kite festival, but that never ended up happening.

The last time I saw Finn he was sitting on top of me, with a sword in my face, banishing me from his life and the lives of everyone he knew. That was not exactly how I expected our second date to end. I still tear up just thinking of how angry his face was then, so most of the time I don't think of it. I hate crying because the moisture hurts my face. The worst part is that I know it was my own fault for getting all crazy and possessive.

When I got away from him and Princess Bubblegum, I just felt too weak to move. I didn't want to go home; daddy would be furious with me for sneaking out again, even if it was with Finn, who he tolerated alright. I didn't want to burn another village, because spending time with non-flame people actually taught me how much burns hurt and it just made me feel all guilty. I was kind of scared because I had never been in a forest without Finn. All the trees and animals hated me because they thought I would kill them. No matter how I tried to live, I was just a symbol of destruction everywhere in Ooo except my own kingdom, and nobody there trusted me, either. I reached back and felt the lightness in the back of my head. My poor hair was barely long enough to smolder, so I probably couldn't do those stupid forest creatures much harm, anyway.

I walked around aimlessly, picking up leaves and crumpling them until they were charred with smoke. Soon I came to the end of the forest and saw vast rolling hills. Those are the hills that led to Finn's tree house. I sat down and sighed, wondering if I'd ever go there again. The flames around my head perked up a little as I heard the lulling, conflicted sounding intro of a guitar. The voice that came after that was the most beautiful I'd ever heard.

"_I'm coming out of my cave  
>And I've been doing just fine<br>Gotta gotta be down  
>Because I want it all."<em>

I didn't know if this person would attack me like everyone else had been doing today, but I just had to see where that sound was coming from. I crept on my hands and knees, and peeked through the bushes. Sitting on a stump, looking wistfully towards the Candy Kingdom, was a full grown, powerful looking vampire. I swallowed my gasp in my throat afraid to make a sound. I'd never seen one in person, but I heard they were dangerous. Then again, everyone seemed to think I was dangerous, too, so maybe I could give her a chance. Even if she ended up killing me, I just had to hear the rest of that song.

_"It started out with a kiss  
>How did it end up like this<br>It was only a kiss, it was only a kiss  
>Now I'm falling asleep<br>And she's calling a cab  
>While he's flying a kite<br>And she's telling him blab  
>Now they're going to bed<br>And my stomach is sick  
>And it's all in my head<br>But she's touching his chest  
>Now, he takes off her dress<br>Now, letting me go." _

Her face got more and more twisted and sad as she sang the song. Her choppy, thick, ebony hair floated through higher through the air as the notes grew higher, like it was alive. She strummed a hardcore looking bass guitar that totally looked like it was made out of an axe. Her red leather boots, skinny jeans, and gray tank top hugged her long, graceful body. Even though she looked older than me, I for sure had more meat on my bones. The thing I admired the most about her was her bluish-gray, almost translucent skin. It was so different from my people's skin, which always glows a soft red or orange. She was completely opposite from me, her skin even cooler than Finn the Human's.__

_"I just can't look its killing me  
>And taking control<br>Jealousy, turning saints into the sea  
>Swimming through sick lullabies<br>Choking on your alibis  
>But it's just the price I pay<br>Destiny is calling me  
>Open up my eager eyes<br>Cause I am Miss Brightside…"_

She stopped singing and looked up as if she could not remember the rest of the song. Her body slowly floated down to sit on a log and her face scrunched in frustration, "This is dirtballs. Why am I even singing about it? It shouldn't matter."

I felt then that I had to say something to her, "Excuse me?" I stepped cautiously into view.

The vampire's eyebrows rose in confusion, "What are you doing here, flame person?"

I balled my hands into fists just thinking about it, "My boyfriend just dumped me by sword."

"That's a bummer." she said flatly, idly strumming her guitar as she leaned against the tree behind her."

I took a deep breath, almost like I thought I could breathe in bravery, and said quickly, "I thought your song was really good! Why don't you like it?" I squinted my eyes and turned my head, expecting some kind of reprimand, but instead she just flew up to me, observing my face with an amused grin.

"It's not that I don't like the song. It's good, and it should get me a lot of gigs." she shrugged.

"Well then, what is it?"

She smiled a little maliciously, sticking out her fangs as I shrank back. "Aren't you afraid to be asking me such direct questions?"

"A little bit, but I'm always like that." I stuck my lower lip out and looked away from her, "That's probably one of the reasons nobody likes me."

"Well, so far I like you alright enough to tell you the answer to your question. Can you keep a secret?"

I nodded. That was one thing I was good at. It's an essential skill being raised in the royal family.

"Ok, you said you just got dumped by sword?" I nodded again. "Well, I just saw one of my best friends kiss my ex-girlfriend, who I'm still totally into."

I felt a little flip in my stomach when I heard she was interested that way in girls. I mean, I didn't really know if I was yet, but if I was I'd for sure be into her. "That sucks charcoal! They're both jerks for doing that to you!" I punched the air and an aura of fire started to grow around me.

"Whoa, lil' fire girl, cool it!" she'd hissed and held up an umbrella between us.

"Oh, sorry. Did I burn you?" I said gently.

"No, it's cool. Just please don't do that again." She folded up her umbrella and smiled at me reassuringly. "You shouldn't be mad at them."

"Why not? They betrayed you! Don't you know how to stand up for yourself?" I yelled.

Suddenly the girl exploded into a giant, hairy, fanged hissing demon crouching over me. I screamed and held my arms up over my face. It was all I could do; with my haircut I was in no condition to turn into my giant flame girl form.

When I looked back up, I saw her back in her regular, petite, beautiful vampire girl form, clutching her sides laughing at me. "Yeah, fire girl, I can stand up for myself! Ha! You should have seen your face!"

I growled angrily, "You have no right to treat me that way! I am the Flame Princess of the Fire Kingdom!"

"Oh yeah, little girl?" I only glared at her in response, "Well I'm Marceline the freaking Vampire Queen, and I think I can treat you any way I want if you get snarky with me. If you're so tough, why don't you fight me?"

I sighed, reaching up again to touch my new haircut. "I can't." A _queen? _Yet another reason to be intimidated by her.

She laughed softly, "Ahh, Samson got his hair cut?"

"What? My name's not Samson. Do I look like a boy to you?" I yelled.

"Ahh, never mind. Just a little cultural history allusion that no one besides immortals seems to get anymore."

"You're a funny lady." I said. She scoffed again at my directness. "Why aren't you mad at them?"

She sighed and rolled her eyes, "Ok, chick, I don't know why I'm telling you this, but it's a little more complicated than that. I told both of them I was cool with them being together."

"So you lied?"

"What? Well, not exactly. Part of me is cool with it." she smirked at me as I stared wide-eyed, "You don't get out much, do you, Princess?"

I blushed hotly, "What's it matter to you? At least I'm dividing myself into funky parts."

"You're right." I was surprised she didn't get mad, "So here's the deal- I like the song, but I'm upset with myself for being upset enough to make a song like that. Does that make sense?"

"Kind of." This lady was crazy.

"Ok, it's like this. I really want to be over this girl. We're not good for each other. We fought all the time. She's not immortal. She's into totally different things then I am. She's prissy and _annoying-_ like even more annoying than when one of my undead minions thinks it would be funny to throw their limbs at me…before I destroy them."

"Wow, she sounds like a really catch." I said sarcastically.

"LET ME FINISH!" she roared, her eyes glowing red and her fangs growing a foot.

"Ahh, ok! Don't flip out!" Funny, usually I was the one being told that.

"Cool, anyways…" she said, her manner calm again, "About that girl, there's just something so _genuine_ about her. Well, for a long time she was stiff as a board, but once I got to know her I just saw how everything she did was always for other people. She had this love for every one she met and it was so infectious that it made me care more for people, too. I mean, you have no idea how old I am, but it takes a pretty special person to cause me to grow personally after all this time."

"Don't immortals just, like, _stop_ growing eventually?" I couldn't imagine living as long as I'd heard vampires did. What did they live for when they had forever to do it?

"It seems like all mortals think that." she laughed, "What you start to realize in your first few hundred years is that time is circular. You go through stages where you're wise and old as time and then you meet someone who makes you feel young again and the next thing you know you're a teenager feeling everything for the first time, and all that other stuff just seems like past lives. Most people just die by the time they reach the wise and old stage, though. Not me."

"Why are you telling me all this?" I asked uneasily. "I've never heard of a vampire talking of their existence so casually with an outsider."

"Because," she grinned, "I'm the Queen vampire, so I can do whatever the flip I want. Also, I feel like telling you, because I know you won't tell anyone. I got a knack for reading people when I was around 900 years old. I don't get in this mood often, though. Most of the time I'm jamming or playing with wolves and dolphins."

"Oh, so I can ask you more stuff?" I probed cautiously.

"Sure, why not, Princess?" she floated into the air and leaned back with her hands behind her head.

"If you still like this girl, then why does part of you want her to be with your best friend?"

"Honestly? I'd never tell them this, but it's because they need each other. My friend is the last of his kind and he just wants someone to belong with. I mean, I love hanging out with him, but I think he just sees me as one of the guys and I feel the same about him, though. He brings out that better, less annoying side of my ex- the one I didn't always bring out. They both have similar life expectancies and they're huge righteous goody-two-shoes. They're just so _sweet_ around each other. It's gross."

"Well, you didn't sing any of that in your song."

She snickered and shook her head at my bluntness, "You're damn right I didn't. I wrote that song about that unexpected surge of jealously I felt when I saw them kiss- when I saw her kiss _back._ I thought I was freaking over jelousy, but I guess I'm not. I just kept imagining all the stuff that would lead from that first kiss..." Then in a quick whisper she said, "Again, if you tell anyone this stuff, I'll kill you."

I nodded rapidly, "Understood." Then I felt kind of light-headed and started to sway.

Marceline whooshed over and steadied me, but immediately recoiled in a hiss from the heat emanating from my ember skin. "Are you ok?" she muttered, blowing the blisters forming on her hands (she burned even easier than Finn did).

"Yeah." I muttered as I sat down, "I'm just weakened from the fight earlier and I'm getting kind of hungry. I'm sorry about your hand."

"It's no biggie. I heal quickly." She held up her hands and already the blisters were a third lighter. "You people eat coal, right?"

"Well, anything really flammable is delicious. My favorite food is dead plants."

"Oh, awesome, you can clear out my dead garden!"

I looked up at her shyly, "Are- are you inviting me over?"

"If you want. Since I just told you all that personal stuff, you should tell me stuff, too."

"Aww, you care about my story?" I smiled.

"I care about being able to blackmail you if you ever tell anyone I still like my ex."

"You little monster! You got any dead grass?"

"Oh, yeah, tons. I live in a cave with no sunlight."

"Ok, then! Let's go!" I beamed and my body glowed. I was embarrassed about being so excited to have a new friend, but I was never good at hiding my emotions.

Marceline only let a faint smile cross her lips and took out a fire proof pair of gloves from her back pocket that she deftly slid on.

She reached out and ruffled my hair affectionately, "Did that haircut weaken you that much, Samson?"

"Stop calling me that!" I snapped, but I did not smack her gloved hand away. I liked it there.

"Well, I think it's cute." she said quietly.

Before I could respond, she scooped me up by the armpits and flew me up over the rolling hills of Ooo.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10: A different flame**

_Author's note: my apologies for the 2 week hiatus. Things have been pretty crazy. Anyways, I changed my mind about making this chapter Flame Princess POV. It is now Marceline's._

_A quick catch up- LSP has been kidnapped by the Flame Kingdom for a yet unknown reason. Finn, Jake, Marceline, and Princess Bubblegum are on their way to rescue her. Marceline reflects on her feelings for the Flame Princess and has some ulterior motives for accompanying her friends on LSP's rescue mission._

I couldn't place exactly how Flame Princess affected me. In the beginning of our relationship I noticed she had some similarities to Bonni. For one; she could be annoying as hell. She had that kind of sheltered innocence about her that a lot of princesses had, along with a tinge of brattiness, but it was enhanced with her. She knew pretty much nothing about the world outside of her kingdom and didn't even seem to realize that her dad was mistreating her.

"FP, it's not right for him to keep you locked up all day." I said to her a few days after we met while she was telling me about her home life.

"He only does it because I can't control my powers." she mumbled.

"Well maybe he should teach you how to control them instead of isolating you." I said angrily. My dad may be kind of inconsiderate, but he taught me a lot of stuff as a kid. Hers just seemed to treat her as an inconvenience.

"Maybe you're right." she shrugged.

"Nah, dude, I _am_ right. How do you even keep escaping to hang out with me?"

"Ehh, I explode the palace guards." she said nonchalantly.

"What? Your killin' peeps every time you chill with me?" I yelled before muttering, "I can't decide if that's awesome or messed up."

"No!" she spat defensively, as little sparks jumped off her that I narrowly avoided. "It just makes them smaller for a while! Flame people are different from you, so don't judge me until you understand us!"

"Whoa, ok!" I said, putting my hands up, "Sorry. Lighten up." She was kind of adorable when I pissed her off; her forehead wrinkled and pushed that ridiculous jewel on her head up. Also, unlike everyone else I pissed off, she could actually seriously hurt me if she wanted to, especially as her hair grew longer again. I had never been friends with such an evenly matched opponent.

She lowered her fists and glowed warmly at me with a smile, "I wish I could just hug you, Marceline."

"Umm…" I scratched the back of my neck uncomfortably. She was definitely more moody than PB.

"Sorry. I just think I like you, Marceline." she confessed with a blush.

This girl kept nothing to herself.

"Listen, kid- I like you, but you've got a lot to learn about the world. I don't see why you'd want to date someone who can only touch you with thick gloves on."

"I know how to cool my body down."

"You'd have to do it more than you would for a human." I figured out the person she'd been dating was Finn, but for some reason I felt that telling her that he was one of my best friends was a mistake.

"I can learn."

I winced. Why did she have to be so freaking persistent? I mean, yeah I liked her. She had so much energy. She laughed at all my jokes. She listened with this wide-eyed grin to all my songs and then asked these crazy-in-depth questions about them that no one else had thought of before. She loved pranking people with me. She always smelled like a comforting camp fire- the ones I used to love back when my body actually needed warming up, just after the world had been demolished…

I just couldn't date another mortal. I wasn't even sure if Flame people lived 70 years or 500, but if it wasn't forever then it wasn't long enough.

"I think you should go home for now, FP." I whispered, looking away from her.

She let out a smoke-filled, angry sigh. "You don't want me, either. No one does."

"Look, I'm not saying that, I just need to think. I'll talk to you tomorrow."

"Mmm, alright." she said unsurely, a hurt looking frown on her face.

I couldn't sleep at all that night after sending her away. I just kept thinking of her at home being locked in that lamp, probably being yelled at for an hour by her dad. Suddenly I shot out of bed, remembering the dark spot on her shoulder that she covered up when I asked about it. She didn't even try to make an excuse about running into something; she just shot fireballs at me until I shut up about it. Suddenly I knew that was from him.

I buried my face in my hands. How did I not see it? How had I been stupid enough to send her back to that big jerk?

I shrugged on a plaid shirt, shoved on my boots, and grabbed my axe bass. I would make sure she never had to live with him again!

I shot up, crashing through the roof, and flew to the flame kingdom so fast that my hair was 10 times more haggard than usual. Oh well, it's not like I was trying to impress royalty.

I pulled out a small vial of flame shield FP had given me. I couldn't use it all the time with FP because there was so little of it, but this for sure was the time to bust it out. I closed my eyes and shook a single drop between my eyes. A shiver ran down my body and I looked down to see my body emitting a faint blue glow.

I made my way to the king's court pretty quickly- the guards were too frightened of a fire-proof vampire to do anything about it. I threw the door open and got everyone's attention with a loud rip from my bass.

The dude who must have been the king spun around, narrowing his eyes at me. I met his glare before glancing up towards FP with a faint smile. I was expecting her to look happy to see me, but she looked scared. This perplexed me.

"A vampire?" shouted the king in a disgusted voice, "What is the meaning of this? Your kind is not allowed in my kingdom!"

"_Excuse me,_ but your guards didn't have a problem letting me in." I hissed. To make my point, I turned and glared at a flaming guard, licking my fangs subtlety. He stumbled and ran away in his full suit of armor before the king could respond.

"Hmmm." growled the fire-ball man, "Well, just state what your business is and leave. We don't want filth like you in our kingdom."

I inhaled a sharp breath, and felt my claws and haunches grow. I met Flame Princess's gaze, which looked more terrified than before, and settled back down to my girl form. She was right- I was outnumbered and if I was going to get her out I couldn't lose control just from a few ignorant insults.

"Actually, I come bearing a gift." I said in an unnaturally pleasant tone.

"I do not want to touch anything you have touched." He said disdainfully.

I gave him a sinister grin and whispered, "Then I suggest you don't touch your daughter."

"WHAT DID YOU SAY YOU PIECE OF ETERNAL VERMIN?" he roared.

"YOU HEARD ME!"

"Daddy!" cried Flame Princess, banging against the glass, "Don't hurt her, its true! She's my friend!"

Her father whirled around, flames towering above him, and yelled, "Stay out of this; you know nothing of its kind!"

"_She_ is not an 'it.' Her name is Marceline the Vampire Queen! If you want to call me a traitor for befriending her, then do it! I HATE IT HERE!" cried Flame Princess. My unbeating heart sank seeing her frustration and then rose again at how much she cared for me.

The king merely shrugged and turned around, speaking to me again, "My daughter is a bit of a hot head. Is it true that you are the queen?"

"Yes." I said shortly, still glancing up at FP, who was now crying on her hands and knees.

"Well," said the king casually, "I've never been one for special treatment. Guards, seize her."

I was suddenly surrounded by flaming men with swords, but I swung my axe bass swiftly around them, watching them explode around me into red fireworks. I sucked the color out of the air and shot up into towards the ceiling before more could come.

The glass of the Princess's lamp was magical, but it was no match for my axe- an ancient family heirloom made from the demon blood of my ancestors. With one deft swing, the glass went crashing down, and I scooped up FP by the waist.

"Flame Princess." I said, floating in the air and projecting my voice so that everyone could hear. "Would you like to move in with me?"

She gasped and raised her eyebrows at me, a large grin spreading across her face. She squeezed my shoulders tightly and it felt a little warm and tingly. When she answered, instead of looking at me, she bored into the eyes of her father, "Yes, I would love that Marceline."

"You hear that, Flame King? She's made her decision! I promise I'll keep her safe, but if anyone tries to take her back, I'll command every undead zombie, ghost, and vampire to wage war on this glob-forsaken place!"

The King was visibly shaking, and I could tell it was just as much from anger at me as hurt at his daughter's betrayal. For a split second I felt bad for him.

"Fine!" he finally shouted. "Take her and leave your gift!"

"Oh, I can't leave my gift here." I said coolly. "It was for her, not you. You don't own her, so I owe you no gift for taking her. Good night, Flame King."

With that I busted through the roof and flew into the night.

"Were you serious, Marceline?" whispered Flame Princess, "What made you change your mind so quickly?"

"I just didn't like the thought of you staying there. It doesn't mean we're dating- let's just be roommates for now, ok?"

"Ok." She said with a giggle. She wrapped her arms around my neck and kissed me softly on the cheek. She was so sweet, but not in the same way as PB. I was quickly realizing that I needed to stop comparing the two of them. She suddenly looked away with that same distant, terrified look she wore when I first arrived at her kingdom.

"What's on your little ember brain?" I asked cheerfully.

"I just- I feel guilty about leaving now. That's all I've ever known."

"Yeah. I know." I said sadly, suddenly wondering if I made the right decision. Oh well, there was no going back now. I had to remind myself that she made the decision, too, and that alone made it right because it was probably the first major life decision she got to make for herself.

XXX

I was snapped out of my reverie when Finn pulled back on my arm, "Whoa, Marcie, you don't want to go in there without flame shield! Are you nutso?"

I shook my head and looked around. Sure enough, we were on the border of the flame kingdom and I was just about to float in. "Whatever, dude, where's the flame shield?" I muttered.

"Marceline, are you ok? You haven't said a word the whole way." asked PB sweetly. She placed a hand gingerly on my arm, which I snatched away without hesitation.

"I'm fine, Princess-perfect, let's just go." I spat.

"Hey, what are you being mean to PB for?" Finn said, stepping between us.

"I'm here, aren't I? Maybe I just got tired of putting up with your goo goo eyes!" I shouted waving my arms.

"Well, you're not like the third wheel- Jake's here, too." said Finn. We all turned to look at the dog that had morphed into a pair of butt cheeks for some reason.

I just had to diverge them- sure, make them think I was lonely (that really wasn't the issue at all). "Well, Jake has Lady Rainicorn- I'm sure he's not bothered watching you two." I snapped.

"Well, sorry." PB said, rolling her eyes, and putting the drop of flame shield on my head. I could tell from her lack of sympathy that she saw through my act- I'd pulled it on her too recently. She also didn't care enough to call me out on it; she was focused on going in to rescue LSP. She'd carried that bow very seriously on her back the whole trip, although I doubted she was even strong enough to draw the thing.

LSP was fine. Who cared if that lumpy brat was a little uncomfortable for a while? I came here for Flame Princess.

When some of my vampire subjects found me saying that she had come to them, I just hoped she didn't really go through with it. I wasn't willing to believe my subjects. They could just be pranking me. I _had_ to see it for myself.

As soon as we reached the castle the guards grabbed our arms and led us before the king.

The king turned to us with a weary frown on his face, "Ah, Finn and Jake. Good to see you. Finn, I see you've become kind of manly."

"Whatever, dude, I was born manly! Where's LSP?" Finn shouted.

"Ahh, yes, she is controlling my daughter. I didn't want any of my own subjects touching such a creature and that lumpy girl came floating through here to roast marshmallows or something stupid like that."

I looked up at that familiar, large glass lamp that had since been repaired from when I smashed it years ago. FP wasn't in it. I felt a drop in my stomach. Her own dad just referred to her as a 'creature.' I suddenly knew it was true, "Where is she, Flame King?"

"Ahh," said Flame King turning to me, "You have made me lose my daughter. Because of your influence she has made the decision to lose her soul. I hope you feel good about yourself- if you are even capable of feeling."

"Hey!" piped of Finn, jumping in front of me, "Marcie's got lotsa gushy feelings! She pretends she doesn't, but then she writes sweet jams about them."

I smacked Finn upside the head, "I can defend myself, twerp."

"Ow." he muttered, backing up.

"I actually wanted you to come." said the flame king with a sigh, staring at me. "I really do think she was happier with you than me, but she is of no use to me now. If you weren't the last creature I thought she'd be happy with I'd kill you on the spot for what you've done to her."

"Let me see her, Flame King." I said flatly.

"Marceline, what is he talking-" I shushed PB with my hand and watched the king intently as he lowered a hook to the ground.

Pulled up from behind a great drop off behind the king's court was a large cage far away. I shot over to it to see Flame Princess engulfed in blue flames, hugging her knees in the corner and hanging her head. That lumpy girl was screaming wildly while shaking the bars ("OH GLOOOB, I WANT BEANS!").

"Shut up for a minute, ok?" I snapped at LSP.

"Chuh. Whatev's, Marceline." she put her hand on a lump that might have been her hip and rolled her eyes, "I thought you were cool. Did Finn come to rescue me? I hear he's, like, totally lumpin' hot now."

"Yeah, but he's taken, just _be quiet." _She crossed her arms, looking insulted.

"Marcie?" came a hoarse whisper.

I looked over to FP and saw my fears confirmed. She looked up at me weakly with eyes the same shade of scarlet as mine. Despite the fact that she was on fire, her skin was gray and pale. On her neck were two swollen, raised bite marks.

"Dammit, Flame Princess, why did you do this?" I shouted, shaking the bars with a loud rattle.

She jumped back a little and her flames shrank. "I-I'm sorry. I didn't know what else to do."

I couldn't stay mad at her. She looked so scared. It had been a year since I'd seen her and I suddenly remembered that protective side she brought out in me. I felt my body growing uncomfortably warm; flame shield did not work as well on vampires as living mammals.

"It's going to be ok, FP. I'm going to help you get through this." I said softly.

She got up- no, _floated_ up- and intertwined her fingers with mine through the bars. I flinched at first, but felt no burning- just a tingling.

"You don't burn me anymore." I whispered.

"Only because I'm half of what you are." she smiled. "Everyone besides vampires I can still burn to a crisp."

"Blue flames are becoming on you." I said with a wink.

"Helloooooo?" said LSP, pushing us apart. "I want BEANS. In MAH MOUTH!"


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

_Author's note: PB's pov. I am determined to finish this story!_

I closed my eyes and heard the adorable, child like voice of Beemo singing "Giiiirrrrls' makeover partay! Getting princess ready for her date! Mani, pedi, hair braiding partay! Gotta do it fast so she won't be late!"

I giggled softy as I felt a fluffy brush of powder cover my face. A few seconds later Beemo shouted "Ok, Beemo the make-up artist is finished!"

I opened my eyes and peered into the mirror. I had never seen myself look so horrible. Of course there wasn't actually any make up in the tree house, so the "concealing face powder" Beemo had just fluffed on me was powdered sugar, the lipstick was ketchup, and I wasn't sure what the eye shadow was. The tiny video game system with a face hopped up in down with a grin, waiting for my approval. Glob, I had to find some way to compliment Beemo's work.

"Um," I said, licking my cheek, "It's delicious! Great job!"

"Oh yay! Yay!" Beemo shouted with a loud clap, "I really thought Jake's ear wax would bring out the color in your eyes!"

"Jake's ear…" I trailed off and ran to the bathroom, wondering what other filth she had smeared on my face. I'd wanted to spare her feelings when she asked to prepare me for my date, but I just didn't have time to humor her anymore. I was supposed to meet Finn in 25 minutes. I noticed as I watched the "make up" swirl down the sink that my hands were visibly shaking. When I looked up into the mirror I actually had to give that little Beemo credit for my hair. It was piled up into a bizarre, but very intricate and fetching up-do. She had woven wires and microchips throughout tunnels and swirls of hair and I had two locks that cascaded in ringlets on either side of my face. She certainly was a fascinating little creature- I made a mental note to ask permission to study her in my laboratory some time.

I walked out of the bathroom and realized I felt a little dizzy. I was a little ashamed of how nervous I was- I am not typically the type to be made intimidated or nervous. I have a reputation to be collected and level-headed no matter what change occurred. As the future leader of the Candy kingdom, I intended to keep that reputation.

It had been a month since the day we ventured to the fire kingdom. It was still a hard shock to wrap my head around- Flame Princess being a vampire. I don't think anyone even knew that was possible, not even her dad. Almost equally surprising was Marcie's reaction. I'd never seen her so shaken up. FP collapsed the moment Marcie lifted her from the cage. Then Marcie started to bite her neck repeatedly while shaking her to wake her up. Finn ran over to help, but Marcie just punched him until he backed away. Her eyes glistened with tears as she quickly explained that FP needed vampire medical help and we would not be able to visit. She promised to let us know when she got well, but we had not heard from her since and no one had a clue where they went.

This was Finn and I's first official date, I guess. I wanted him to have some time mourn Susan, cope with his memories of The Beyond, and just get used to being home again. He told me he didn't need time, but his actions said otherwise. When we hung out lately he was smiling and laughing a little more and had some of his quirkiness back. I visited every day with Mama and practiced early every morning with Finn on my archery. I was getting to where I could hit moving targets two times out of five and my arms no longer ached every day. Finn had this amazing 17th birthday bash in the cloud kingdom that lasted almost 3 days (Cinnamon Bun passed out in the punch bowl and his sweat gave it this awesome twist to it). Everyone was helping with the wedding planning for Jake and Lady, as well, so things got busy fast and time was passing quickly.

There was a sudden knock at the door and I nearly jumped out of my pink skin. I didn't know what Finn had planned, but I just know he told me to dress "snazzy." Of course, I wanted no one in my kingdom to know about the date to avoid paparazzi, so that's why I got ready at the tree house while Jake took Finn out to talk with him about ladies.

Beemo toddled over to the door muttering "took took took took!" with each step, jumped up on the door knob, and let out a small "Squeeeee!" as the door swung open.

Finn stood there in a sleek black wizard's robes, a dimple cheek flower corsage, and- to my surprise- no hat. His wavy, shoulder length hair hung around his eyes as he gave me a demure, crooked grin.

I couldn't help but let a broad smile overtake me. Quietly, I whispered "Hi, Finn."

"Hey, PB. You look really- you…" he huffed as he trailed off and looked away, "Sorry, I'm not good at this stuff."

I chuckled a little. I was relieved that I wasn't the only one who was nervous. "It's ok, Finn. You've complimented me a lot of times, so you don't feel like you have to do it now."

"No." he said with a new found resoluteness. "I want to do this right. The right thing to do right now is for me to tell you that you're so beautiful that I-" his expression changed suddenly as he bluntly cut off his thought.

His lanky legs crossed the room in a few quick steps and suddenly he was inches from me, pinning a smiling, dimpled flower on my blue dress at the side of my collar bone.

"Where are you taking me, Finn the human?" I said with a flirting grin.

"Spaghetti Kingdom." he said nonchalantly.

I felt my eyes widen and I squealed like a squirrel giving birth. I grabbed his arm tightly and said "I freakin' LOVE spaghetti! How did I not know there was a kingdom?"

"Well, they like to stay kind of secret- they're underground. Jake and I saved the Meatball people there last week from zombie tomatoes, so that's the only reason they said I could bring you."

"Zombie tomatoes. How fascinating! I don't suppose you saved a DNA sample from them…"

"Actually, I did. I know you're into weird science junk." Finn pulled a vial from his pocket filled with sickly green, smoking tomato seeds.

My mouth gaped. "Finn, you're totally mathematical!" He gasped and stumbled back as I slung my arms around his neck a little aggressively.

"Hahaha…ok, PB." he laughed nervously, but drew me into the hug a little tighter, "Wanna go eat some noodle streets?"

"Why certainly!" I perked up and held out my arm for him to take. "So why did we dress up so much for spaghetti?"

"I dunno. Jake said I'd be more likely to 'get some' if the date was fancy. I'm not sure what that means, though."

I sighed and giggled a little bit. His purity was so endearing. Finn swung open the door for me and there stood our ride, which was actually just Jake morphed into the shape of a limo. Finn grabbed the door handle covered in yellow fur and motioned with a gentlemanly wave for me to step into the canine coach.

I looked up towards the front of the car where Jake's face was. "Hold on one minute, Finn."

"Ok, m'lady!"

I ran up and poked the headlight of the car (also known as Jake's eye).

"Oww! PB, what gives?" came a moan from the front bumper.

"You little pervo! You were telling Finn how to 'get some?' What makes you think I'm that kind of girl?" I was suddenly very defensive.

Jake's car-face sank and he rolled his eyes in Finn's direction. "I don't, PB, I just uhhh…" he trailed off and I could tell he was making something up.

"Just spit it out!" I snapped.

"I was thinking this would get him brownie points to be more likely to get some later on! You know, like…when you're married." he said suddenly.

I was silent for a few seconds. I felt like the wind had just gotten knocked out of me from hearing Jake verbally assume we were going to get married eventually. Years ago, I would have dismissed the situation as laughable. Months ago, I would have thought it highly unlikely. Now, though, it did not seem very objectionable. A few images flashed through my head of Finn ruling the kingdom by my side and having fleshy little babies running around in animal hats that looked just like he did when I first met him. A small wave of happiness washed over me and I was sucked back into the present by Jake's voice.

"…Bubblegum? Hello?"

"Oh, um…" I regained my composure and glared at him just for face saving value, "Don't think I'm some machine that can have credits inserted in return for nookie! You just keep that in mind!"

"Umm, okie dokes."

I swept my dress over to the back of the car where Finn still stood with the door open, oblivious to the small but significant conversation that had just transpired. He followed me into the Jake-car and sat rigidly as we started to move, his hands clasping his knees like they were about to run away from him. He shook his hair a little to shield his face as a crimson blush crept on it. My eyes shot to his lean long fingers and I slowly placed my hand on top of them. He jumped a little and peered over at me.

"Finn, don't be nervous just because this is a 'date.' Just pretend we're hanging out." I smiled at him, although inside I was thinking it would be annoying if he was this uncharacteristically shy the entire night.

"Ugh, I can't help it, PB!" he threw his head back, "I feel all wonky! Like, I don't know what you expect from me all of a sudden!"

"I expect you to eat some spaghetti with me."

"Really? So, I don't have to serenade you or kiss your hand or make up sonnets?"

"No. All that stuff gets cheesy pretty fast, anyway. You don't need that stuff to be romantic. You're kind of just effortlessly chivalrous and romantic. It's romantic that you just show your emotions so openly. You're affectionate, thoughtful, protective, loyal, and funny. You never think about being that way, though- you just are."

Finn gave me a blank stare and blinked a couple of times before he shrugged and said, "Are you kidding, Princess? Jake is the romantic one. I just wanna slay evil and hang out with you because you're rhombus."

I laughed and he squeezed my hand a little tighter. The tension in the air was completely gone and suddenly I was just hanging out with my knight like always, but we were sitting a little close to each other and clasping hands. He listened with rapt attention to me talk about my research project on Klyploids (even though I'm almost sure he didn't follow a word I was saying). I listened to him talk about different fighting techniques and give me tips on hand to hand combat. We started laughing a lot and I was lightly slapping him every time I got past one of his practice blocks; he must have been going easy on me. Jake shouted suddenly "You two better not be smooching inside of me! That would be way weird!"

Suddenly the ride got a lot bumpier. I peered out the window to see we were going through an underground tunnel. Finn's nostrils flared as he sniffed the air. "We're almost there!"

I sniffed, too and smelled the delicious mixture of garlic, marinara, butter, and endless mountains of carbs.

As I saw the light Jake slowed to a stop while we hopped out of him. There was a slight squishing sound beneath me as I realized the street was made of golden garlic bread. Finn had already torn a chunk from his shoe and was munching it absentmindedly. The kingdom was an incredible sight. All the vegetation was made out of salad dripping with ranch dressing. The massive castle on the horizon had spires made of gigantic pieces of spiral pasta sprinkled with parmesan cheese. Round, delicious meat ball people waddled through the streets jovially. A few who were on diets even offered chunks of their thighs to us.

"Hey Princess, is that dress washable?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Spaghetti fight!" he screeched, ripping noodles from the hill behind them and hurling them towards me. There was a splat and there were the noodles all over my chest (and corsage).

I let out a long gasp as I looked down at my dress and glared at Finn. Why did he even get me the fancy-shmancy corsage if he was going to ruin it with pasta sauce? As I looked at him my anger went away. He had this dopey smile and was completely unaware he'd done something stupid. Jake was probably the one who told him to get the corsage and now he was just doing what I advised him to- being himself.

His grin faltered a bit as he studied my face. "Glop. Did I do something wrong?"

"Finn the Human, if you expect to make it out of here with one inch of you not covered in red, bloody tomato sauce, then you are sorely mistaken." I growled playfully.

"Oh, bring it, Peebles!"

Within seconds we were hurling wads of spaghetti at opposite sides of the street, the citizens mumbling complaints in Italian as they skirted around us gingerly. We were both completely covered in noodles and red goo within minutes. I ran behind a gigantic shrub of iceberg lettuce and started to build up a pile of ammo just like I did when I did as a little girl for snowball fights.

Out of nowhere I felt Finn's arms wrap around my waist and pull me up while I screamed. "How did you find me?" I said in between my giggling.

"You left a sauce trail." he said, while smearing more sauce in my hair- his victory mark for successfully sneaking up on me.

I leaned my head on his shoulder and started to eat some of the spaghetti that fell on my stomach. "You know Finn, I was super smoking mad when you threw that first wad of spaghetti."

I felt him go rigid underneath me, "Oh, I'm really sorry. I-"

"No, don't be sorry. I don't remember the last time I laughed so hard! I had way more fun than I would have if I tried the whole date to keep my dress and hair perfect! That's what I love about you- I'm always forced to come out of my princess shell when I'm with you."

A smile broke across Finn's face so big that a few noodle pieces got crushed in the creases of his cheeks, "I love you, too, Bonnibelle."

Now it was my body that went rigid. I hadn't actually said I loved him- I'd said something I loved _about_ him. There's a huge difference, right? Apparently everyone but Finn knows about that difference.

He squeezed me tight and licked some sauce off my hair with a chuckle, "Bubblegum flavored spaghetti sauce is weird!"

"Finn, what did you mean when you said you loved me?"

"Well, it's love. Isn't hard to explain?"

"Will you try? I just want to be sure we're both on the same page."

Finn put his hand on his chin and his face contorted in concentration, "Well, it's like-liking you, but a gazillion times stronger. I'm no good at thinking about the future, but when I try I can't imagine you not in it somehow. I just want to be around you, and play Beemo with you, and hug you, and listen to all your science stuff, and teach you how to fight. Most of all, I just want to make you happy. Isn't that how you feel, too? If you say no, I'll understand. I'm kind of used to it."

I just sat there, thinking about Finn's incredibly simple definition of love. In my definition, I would have gone into all the endorphins released upon infatuation, and research about when exactly those turn into love, and the statistical likelihood of actually finding 'true love' as a teenager. Somehow, Finn's definition seemed more accurate than all of that, and I realized that I felt all of those same things, too.

"Yeah, Finn. I feel that way, too." I said quietly.

"That makes me feel soooo awesome!" he said, lifting me off the ground. "Hey I brought some pajamas for both of us if you want to change into clean clothes and go play video games at the tree house."

"Oh, Finn, that sounds delightful."

We got to Finn's house and stayed up almost all night with Jake and Lady just playing all sorts of games, eating junk food, playing truth or dare, and- when it got very late and we were all quite ditzy with sleepiness- lying in a dog pile on the roof staring at the stars while talking about the nature of Glob.

It was one of the most fun, care-free nights of my life, but at the back of my head the entire time nagged one thought; _do you really love him?_


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

_Author's note: Marceline's POV_

I didn't know if she was ready to go, but she wanted to reconcile things with everyone. Finn. Jake. Even Bonni. What better time to show your new desire for friendship than a wedding?

FP floated slightly above me in her blue-flamed, iridescent slumber. I ran my fingers through the tower of flaming hair, still amazed at the mild tingles my fingers felt. She moaned softly and turned towards me so that I could see her face. I admired her features, realizing how much stronger she was. She finally got used to only eating the color red, and her arms and cheeks were almost back to their healthy plumpness. The last 7 weeks had put her body through so much that at one point she looked so emaciated it was hard to recognize her. She had to relearn everything; walking, breathing (we do breathe, but different particles than mortals), even thinking. Then, of course, there were all the new things to learn- floating, sucking some sweet red, transforming into monsters, summoning junk- all that fun stuff.

She had just mastered flying a week ago and she was still kind of clumsy at it. I found it so adorable since she was usually so overly dignified. She was all huffy and fiery when she got embarrassed.

We stayed up so often talking about anything and everything. She asked me so many things about immortality, about different vampire cultures, about what I thought about the nature of souls, of mortals, of the history of her people's hate for vampires, of my music, and of memories. So many memories- ones I hadn't spoken of in centuries that seemed like past lives. She had a mere 17 years of memories, but suddenly I found them all fascinating. I found everything about her fascinating. I had never realized fully her intelligence and caring. The wall of the 'bratty princess' had always been up between us before.

She had abandoned that princess persona just as her family had abandoned her. For weeks after she was feeling a little better she sent letters to her father, teacher, friends, and relatives telling them that she was ok.

She never got a single response. Each day that passed while she waited for my parcel man I could see her identity slipping away. She had a lost look in her smoldering, weak eyes and she walked with a slouch. I think she would have gone nuts if she hadn't started painting. She would work with a canvas every time I played music, sometime slashing angrily, and sometimes stroking gently like it was a small child. Now they dried all over the cave- colorful, dark, and lonely portraits of what I'd only been able to express in sound.

She hadn't looked at her princess dress since the night she got there, choosing to adopt my wardrobe since she hadn't exactly been strong enough to go shopping. My things were a little long and tight on her, but I'm not complaining about the latter part.

Her eyes fluttered open and she smiled.

"Time to get your extra umbrella, Marcie." she said sleepily.

"Yeah, today's the day. Your vampire debut at the dog-rainicorn union." I said rolling my eyes.

She floated up and kissed my cheek before she got something to eat. I touched where her lips had been remembering the first time it happened a week after I brought her home.

_She bit down on the plump strawberry I handed her and chewed. I yanked it away from her, "No, FP, you're not going to get any nutrients by eating it!"_

"_Well, I'm sorry, Marceline, it's habit!" she moaned weakly._

"_Then you need to learn to suck the color out, because eating like a mortal is not going to make you feel full anymore." I said with an edge in my voice. I felt I was being harsh, but she was hardly strong enough to stand at that point and I was getting kind of stir crazy._

"_I'm so hungry." she whispered._

"_I know." I said softy. "Look, just sink your fangs in. Don't bite." I paused allowing her to do so. "Now inhale the scent." She breathed in deeply and slowly. "When you breathe, pay attention to the part of that essence that makes your mouth water." I waited a few long moments as she breathed in and out slowly. Finally I saw her eyes widen and a faint smile creep up the side of her mouth. I didn't have to tell her what to do next; she sucked in rapidly, draining the little fruit to a dried up corpse in a second._

_Once she got the hang of eating the first time she couldn't stop until everything red I had in the house was gone or at least a light shade of pink. When she was done she sat up with a renewed vigor and a smile on her face._

"_What?" she said, cocking her head. I didn't realize I had been staring at her so long._

"_I'm really glad you finally know how to eat." she was about to say her thanks, but I continued, "Why did you do this, Flame Princess? I still don't understand."_

"_What, the change?"_

"_Yeah, what else would I mean? You lost everything."_

"_I already had lost everything before I became a vampire."_

_I blinked a couple of times in surprise, "How?"_

_She sighed and looked down, playing with the deep purple blanket, "I lived with you for a year before returning home. I thought they'd welcome me back and dismiss my absence as a small test of my independence. Apparently, they do not make that allowance when one's search for independence is by the side of a vampire. My friends didn't want to be seen with me. They all said I still smelled like death and bat guano." Her eyes pooled with tears, "Daddy said he didn't know how they'd ever repair my image enough for them to accept me as ruler. So, he had me lay low a few weeks for the citizens to get used to me being back. Then, every single day, he had me making all these public events and appearances to assure everyone that I was still 'all flame person.' I had no idea what that meant, until one day in my studies I read a Flame history book that had a small section about vampires. Of course it was very biased, calling them 'leeches of happiness' and 'enemies of light,' but at the end I read the only thing in the article that interested me; 'the only thing more detestable and purely evil than a vampire is a vampire-flame person hybrid. This is the key reason our people stay away from them.'_

"_I had no idea I could even become a vampire, but I wondered how evil they could really be if everything else in the article was sensationalized. When my tutor refused to speak of it, I knew Daddy would know more. I should have known not to ask him._

"_He flew into a rage when he discovered I even knew about the possibility of a hybrid. He fired my tutor, ordered a strict censorship on all I read, and grounded me. I did not expect the grounding in my lamp to last long, because I figured I would still need to make public appearances. Weeks went by, though. I got a tip off from Flambo one day that my younger aunt would be assuming the position of queen unless I could prove myself worthy of the throne._

"_I was hurt that Daddy had replaced me without even telling me, but more than anything I realized that I didn't want to fight someone to prove myself worthy for a life- long position I didn't even want. I thought about when I was happiest in my whole life and it was when I was out exploring Ooo. I left that same night._

"_My people did not want me. You did not want me, and understandably so since I had let my temper get the best of me the last time we had seen each other. In the world outside the Flame Kingdom, I burned everything I touched and people were scared of me. I knew it would be a lonely existence if I chose to not go back to my kingdom. So, I changed myself to the only thing I knew I could._

"_I ran into some vampires on a mountain and demanded that they change me, but they didn't want to get near me. That angered me and I turned into a giant flame person, grabbed one of them, and pried his mouth open before thrusting his teeth into my throat. At first he was screaming from the pain of my burning skin on his lips, but seconds later I saw my skin turn blue and he sighed with relief. The next thing I remembered I had woken up in that cage with the lumpy girl. I couldn't even move until the third day, when you came for me."_

_She stopped her story and took a deep breath. It looked like unloading all that had physically weakened her, and she had a vacant look in her eyes._

"_I'm sorry." I said quietly._

"_I don't need your apology. You've been the only one in my life who has been my friend no matter what I chose to be. What I need is for you to answer me something."_

"_What's that, kiddo?"_

"_Are you glad I did this?"_

"_Why would I be? You're going through so much pain and I have no idea if you'll like it."_

"_I mean, are you glad I am immortal with you?"_

_I paused a little bit, debating whether or not to tell her the truth. I decided I would, "Yes I am, FP. I feel a little guilty for being stoked about it, but I am."_

_She leaned across the bed and kissed my cheek softly. "Thank you. I'm glad to be around you again. I just wanted to know you wanted me here and that you didn't just feel obligated to take care of me."_

_She almost laid back down, but I caught her gaze with mine, suddenly feeling like I knew her better than I ever had the entire year we'd been roommates. She stared at me with her pouty little lips parted slightly, and the red she'd just eaten crept up to her cheeks in a blush._

_I didn't know what I was getting us into, but how much longer could I stay pent up with her all day and resist her when she was growing into such a beautiful young vampire? I placed my hand on her cheek and she leaned into it, closing her eyes like she craved my touch. Before she opened them again I had brought my lips to hers, feeling that now familiar tingle of her blue flames pulse through me as she embraced me._

_That moment changed everything. That moment I knew that I loved her._

"How do I look?" she said with a worried expression, floating in to the room and pulling me back to the present.

I felt a grin spread on my face as she spun slowly in the long, flowing, midnight colored dress. It floated elegantly around her hips, wrapped around her waist, and travelled up to sleeves that rested on the edge of her shoulders.

"It's nice to finally see you in something that fits you." I said, sliding my hand around her waist.

"Thanks for getting your ghost friends to bring this for me, Marcie."

"Yeah, well, they have surprisingly great fashion sense for not having bodies." I conceded.

I was already dressed in my little black dress, so we were ready to go. I tossed her an umbrella and grabbed the present I'd gotten for the newlyweds. I signed her name on it, too, since I knew she wasn't able to get them one in her previous state, but I was paranoid that might make us look like an old married couple. When I thought about it, though, I realized I didn't really care if they thought that.

I floated out the cave entrance and saw a red envelope that had the seal of the Fire Kingdom. My eyes widened and I peered around for FP. She had apparently gone to fix her hair or some junk. I felt conflicted about the desire to open it until I saw the letter was addressed to _me._ It said my actual name; instead of all the derogatory things they called creatures like me. I was angry that they would send one to me before their abandoned princess, but curiosity overtook me and I tore it open. The letter was short and to the point:

"_To the enemy of light caring for the former flame princess,_

_We send you this notice only for the safety of those innocent mortals you might be around. The former princess should arrive at her evil state within the next few days. If you call yourself a responsible, moral creature, please see to it that she does not kill any mortals when this transformation occurs._

_With distain,_

_The Nobility of the Flame Kingdom"_

Those idiots! They thought just because she was a vampire that all of a sudden she would start rampaging as soon as she was strong enough to go in public? I tore the letter to shreds and ate it. I didn't want FP to ever see it, especially not today, when she was so happy to finally be getting out.

Flame Princess floated out, a happy glow on her sweet face. I tried to give her a convincing smile.

"Let's go see some peeps get hitched." I sighed.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13 Jakicorn**

_Author's note: third person omniscient POV. This chapter may be long, but I like it because it has an appropriate amount of fluff for a wedding as well as some drama bombs (come one- what wedding doesn't have at least one of those?)._

Finn kept glancing down at PB's hand clasping his. He was trying to make sure this whole situation was real. His hand was getting kind of clammy from holding hers so long and he wanted to break away just for a second to wipe his hand on his pants, but he wasn't about to let go. He didn't want her to think he didn't like her, but he also didn't want her to think he always had gross sweaty hands.

They approached the altar on the top of an emerald green hill of clovers. Glittering orchids made of the finest sugar covered the edge of every row and at the altar spilled vines, ribbons, and clusters of flowers and butterflies that were every color of the rainbow, along with some he'd never even seen before. A group of Rainicorns played the procession music as he walked down the aisle between the array of guests, which might have been even more colorful than the flowers. In the back was the entire candy kingdom, and closer to the front there was a bright crowd of Rainicorns on one side and golden, brown, black, and white, and spotted dogs on the other. He thought he saw some of the older guests from the dog and Rainicorn families glaring at each other- probably leftover tension from the Great Dog-Rainicorn war- but luckily they were keeping their big old mouths shut for the sake of Jake and Lady. Other guests were seen speckled in little groups throughout the crowd- cloud people, the Breakfast princesses, Wildberry Princess, ghost princess, muscle princess, hot dog princess, Tree Trunks and Mr. Pig, and a loud cluster of Lumpy Space people wondering what kind of food would be at the reception. Working their way through the crowd, he could see two girls making their way to their seats a few minutes late, and they stood out quite a bit since they both carried umbrellas and they moved so smoothly he was sure they were floating. Also, one of them was on fire.

"Shmowzow, Peebs, look!" he whispered out of the side of his mouth.

Bonnibelle looked up and let out a sharp gasp. Standing before them were Marceline and what looked to be Flame Princess. Seeing her as a vampire was intimidating; the pink princess was pretty sure she could not defeat her just by cutting her hair now. She was curvy, graceful, and beautiful- her tower of hair burning brighter than ever in a breathtaking sapphire flame, which was complimented nicely by her formfitting dark blue dress.

Flame Princess looked meekly at the two of them and gave a gentle smile, the sides of her crimson eyes crinkling sweetly. She waved while mouthing hello. Bonnibelle could not help but smile back and give a demure wave and Finn just cocked his head in confusion before he finally smiled and said "What up, Nightfire?" to the both of them. Perhaps becoming a vampire had changed her. Just as her and Finn walked past them in the procession, Bonnibelle saw Marcie clasp FP's hand and smile at her. Maybe they had changed each other, she thought.

Finn and PB made it to the altar and stood with the rest of the wedding party in their respective spots of best man and maid of honor. Next thing Jake moonwalked down the aisle, winking and fist bumping at guests all along the way while saying things like "Wildberry Princess, you look sweet and tart, as always." "Hey, I'm getting married to the hottest Rainbow Lady ever! Can your weekend top that?" "Yo man, thanks for coming. Your soap smells nice." "HOLY SNOT, VAMPIRES! Oh, wait, it's just Marceline and Flame Princess. Um, thanks for coming? You're nice now, right FP?"

Bonnibelle shook her head and laughed inwardly at Jake's bluntness. He reached the end of the aisle and clasped Finn in a mighty bro hug before standing to look down the aisle for Lady.

Jake stood at the altar resisting the urge not to tuck in his little yellow tail and run. He might have if it wasn't for his bro standing right there smiling at him. Jake had to be a better example for him, and ditching a lady at the altar was not classy. He locked his knees in place and fidgeted nervously with the bow tie around his neck- like a too tight dog collar.

It's not that Jake didn't want to marry Lady. No dog had ever been more in love than he was at that very moment. The thing he didn't want to marry was all the expectations of marrying into a noble family and a Rainicorn family on top of that. Luckily his in-laws loved him, but he wasn't sure he could say the same for some of his other new family members. The rehearsal dinner had been a disaster because 8 of Lady's distant relatives attempted to eat Finn. That dude sure put up with a lot for Jake, and he knew it. He was really proud of the man he was growing into, but he wasn't good at saying mushy stuff like that most of the time.

Beemo and NEPTR came down the aisle together. NEPTR was holding up the ring pillow proudly with his pie-throwing arm. Beemo wore a big smile and a frilly yellow dress that was originally designed for a 6 month old baby. Beemo didn't really have a gender, but she did not like being called "it." From a whicker basket she tossed Rainbow colored rose petals and pieces of candy for the guests to grab and eat for good luck.

Finally, Lady Rainicorn floated up the hill into Jake's view. The music stopped and resumed to a slow, swelling, beautiful melody. She looked up at Jake through her flowing veil and batted her long eyelashes with a teary smile. Jake felt the nervousness flood out of him as he stared at her with big, dopey puppy-dog-eyes. Her dress had several layers that moved easily in the wind, the multiple colors of her fur slightly transparent through them. Her bodice had purple beading in intricate geometric patterns and had a small ruffled mantle resting on her shoulders. Around her neck rested the bright, glittering engagement gem Jake had given to her when he proposed. Her white-blond mane glowed in the dusk like a halo and flowed behind her in big, flowing curls.

She stopped before Jake and took his paws in her hooves. Peppermint Butler stepped up to them with a dignified expression and a round little suit and said "The couple will now recite their own vows. Princess Bubblegum of the Candy Kingdom will be translating Lady Rainicorn's for the guests."

Jake took a breath and shook his jowls, trying to find his voice. "Lady, I never met a mare like you in all my years. The first moment I peeped at you I couldn't help but want to play viola with you and ride through the sky with you. I promise to always be good to you, but to also always be stupid; because that's who I am and I'm lucky enough that you love me for it. I promise to always comfort you if you are crying, no matter what the reason- if you're just having lady hormones, or even if it's because of me. I promise to be like the kickbutt father that my dad, Joshua, was. I know that him and mom would have loved your kindness, beauty, and many talents- especially the one to stay in the same room with me after I've eaten an everything burrito. Lady, I promise that if I go to Glob World and you're not there, then I'd rather be in the Nightosphere for eternity with no ice cream just to be with you. Well, you're probably more likely to go to Glob World than me, but I was being metaphorical…" Peppermint Butler cleared his throat subltly. Jake took a break and panted a little. The suit was hot. "I'm not too good with vows, but in short, I love you."

Princess Bubblegum then stepped up to translate Rainicorn's vows. Jake inwardly felt a little sorry for Lady when people had to do that to understand her. Her way of phrasing things was so graceful, lilting, and gentle that even PB butchered it in translation, although she did a better job than he did. So, he tuned PB out and just listened to Lady speak to him. She reminisced of their favorite memories- the drive in movies, the adventures, the music, the crazy nights when they stayed up too late and raided peach orchards. Then she told him, that through all the good times and bad, all she wanted to do was make more memories with him.

After she was done she quickly glared at her Uncle Bob who was eyeing Finn with a wide-eyed, hungry expression.

"Very well, how moving…" said Peppermint Butler in a monotone voice. "The rings, strange robot?"

"NEPTR will bring the rings for Creator's friends!" he shouted, startling awake some of the less romantic guests who were beginning to doze off.

On top of NEPTR's pillows were awesome, glittering enchanted power rings that Jake got from a wizard who owed him a favor in the forest. They weren't nearly as valuable as Lady's pendant, but they shot condiments at people! After she slipped Jake's ring on he used his mind juices to think of whipped cream and then squirted some in his mouth.

"Jake," said Peppermint Butler, "do you-"

"WE DO!" they both shouted at once in Korean, and jumped into a long kiss. The cheers of several kingdoms erupted.

Finn watched that kiss instantly turn his bro from a carefree bachelor with an easy-going Asian girlfriend into a devoted husband. Before he left for Aaa, he never would have understood all the implications that held. As he thought about them spending the rest of their lives together, he wondered if anyone could ever be happy doing that with him. He peered around the happy couple to glance at PB, who he was very embarrassed to notice was looking at him, too. He gave a quaint smile and then looked back at their mutual best friends.

For whatever reason, at that moment Finn decided that he could never give PB the same happiness Jake was able to give Lady. Jake was laid back and could accommodate his lifestyle to anyone he lived with. Finn would always need to adventure, though. He liked PB's newfound enthusiasm for adventure, but he wondered how long it would last. The real reason for Finn thinking he was incompatible for PB was the stuff he saw in Aaa. He still acted the same most of the time, but he knew something was different that could never be the same. Sometimes he was too hard on her during their archery lessons, acting like making the target was a matter of life and death, because in that moment it was to him. He used to be so patient and kind, but now there was a hard edge around him, like the cloak and its people had left grime on his skin he could never scrub off.

Jake and Lady took the first dance off into the sky, Jake stretching up with his new bride and her gown streaming behind her. They didn't care very much anymore for people to be watching them, so they went up into the clouds until all the people could see of them was Jake's feet and stretched belly going up through the clouds. The music was silent up there, and Jake pulled out his viola to play some sweet jams for his lady. She smiled and quickly dropped her bouquet from hundreds of feet up to kiss him.

Down on the ground LSP looked around anxiously for Brad, her date and boyfriend (for the moment).

"Gah, where the lump IS HE?" she wailed. "I'm gonna get some more punch! You want any, Cynthia?"

She turned to find Cynthia gone, too. "WHY IS EVERYONE DITCHING ME? IS IT BECAUSE I'M JUST TOO HOT?"

As she approached the punch bowl, there were her two missing, lumpy friends engaging in a more-than-pg-rated embrace.

"WHAT THE LUMP, YOU GUYS? I THOUGHT YOU WERE MY FRIENDS!" shouted LSP, tears beginning to well up in her beady purple eyes.

"Whatevs, LSP, you know me and Brad used to date! So, this is kind of your fault to never break girl code to never date your BFF's ex." Cynthia shrugged while smacking some gum.

"Yah, well do you forget that I dated him for the first time before you dated him for the first time? And you were the one who dumped him? I can't believe you would do this to me!"

"Look, I'm sorry babe!" Brad floated up to her with open arms, "We just couldn't resist the chemistry in the moment, but I promise you're way more rad."

LSP sniffled and mumbled "Really?"

"Pshh, yeah right!" snorted Cynthia, "That's the same thing he told to me when he started dating you again!"

LSP was too hurt to even yell, which was pretty serious for her. She began to hyperventilate to keep from crying but if she didn't get out of there soon then everyone would see her balling and she just couldn't take that gossip back in lumpy space. Just as she was about to high lump it out of there, she felt a massive pain as something collided with the back of her head.

"OWWW! MY SEXY, HOT HEAD LUMPS!" she roared, grabbing the thing that had embedded itself in her purple, juicy scalp. Her mouth dropped and then a near manic grin spread across her face. She was holding a multicolored berry bouquet tied with satin pink ribbon.

"Oh my glob!" huffed Cynthia, peering into the sky where the mysterious bundle had hurled itself so unceremoniously at LSP. "That's totally not fair! They didn't announce the bouquet toss!

"That's right, you fat cow, they didn't. They didn't have to because it was meant for me the whole time! You know what that means, don't you, you lumpin' brat?"

"Oh what, that your gigantic head has more gravitational pull than mine?" LSP AND Brad stared at Cynthia at a loss for the meaning of her joke. Cynthia was, in fact, gifted with science in a way that almost paralleled Princess Bubblegum, but this was not something to be proud of in the Lumpy culture. She quickly recovered her lapse in feigned ditziness by shouting "I SAID YOU HAVE A BIG HEAD, YOU LUMPIN' TROLL!"

"Well, obviously somebody is going to find my big head sexier than yours because I'm getting married before you!" LSP taunted, waving the bouquet above her head. "Hmm, that probably means you and Brad won't work out. Don't worry, though, I won't steal him from you. I'll probably be marrying the lump prince of my dreams right as he's leaving you just because you're such a boring lard face!"

LSP floated off with immense satisfaction as Brad shouted "Babe, wait!"

The lumpy princess whipped around, patted her rump, and said coyly "You want these lumps, baby?" Brad nodded, but before he could say anything she said "Well you can't have 'em. Guess you'll just have to settle for hers…if they don't make you barf, that is."

She then floated off, with Brad disheartened and Cynthia screaming in anger. She zoomed all over the place faster than she'd moved in- well- ever to show everyone her bouquet.

She zoomed up to Tree Trunks and Mr. Pig, dancing cheek to cheek in an adorable, but also sickeningly affectionate way, "LOOK, YOU WEIRD SMALL ANIMALS, I GOT THE BOQUET!" The tiny pig and elephant both fell on their bottoms from the power of her bellows with a small "Ooomph!" Then she was gone again.

"LOOK YOU TINY, DANCING MACHINES, I GOT THE BOQUET!"

"That is very nice for you!" piped up Beemo, who had actually started out dancing with NEPTR. Now she was just struggling to hold him up, making adorable, strained grunts. "LSP, can you help me? He hit the motor oil too hard at the robot open bar and now-"

Beemo looked up to see that LSP was already gone again.

"NEPTR loves you, Beemoooo!" drawled the intoxicated robot.

"Yes, yes, I know." she said, patting his back.

"HOW MANY PIES CAN I THROW TO EARN YOUR LOVE?" he shouted.

Beemo blushed and looked around at the other guests. She saw Finn across the crowd, "Finn, come get your son!"

There was no way Finn was going to hear poor little Beemo at that moment, though. LSP had just run up to him and PB blabbing a million miles an hour about the bouquet, and her destined prince, and stupid fat Cynthia.

Girls were weird. Princess Bubblegum pulled him close by the small of his back to dance as a song began.

Finn listened to the calming sound of a ukulele and some dude in a hat sing;

_someday we will go  
>pack up all we know<br>climb inside  
>go for a ride<br>nothing left to hide_

He nestled his nose into her long, sweet smelling strand of hair. He wondered if he was completely stupid for what he was about to say. He leaned in and whispered to her ear "Hey Peebles?" she leaned back with a smile to look at him with a little "Hmm?"__

_It doesn't change a thing  
>everything you bring<br>it's all inside  
>all open wide<br>nothing left to hide_

"Are we just together right now, or are we together-together?" he asked somberly.

She grinned, "Well that depends; do you want to be together-together right now?"

He scrunched his face "Yes."

She giggled happily "Oh, Finn, that-"

"But we probably shouldn't." he said quickly, before the temptation to change his mind took over him.

_someday we will go  
>pack up all we know<br>climb inside  
>go for a ride<br>nothing left to hide_

Bonibelles smile melted off her face. "Why? Finn, I never thought I'd hear you say that. What's wrong?"

_It doesn't change a thing  
>everything you bring<br>it's all inside  
>all open wide<br>nothing left to hide_

Finn looked around, only then realizing how stupid it was to bring up a topic that could so easily cause a scene at his best friend's wedding. He started talking very quickly and quietly "PB, let's go somewhere so that I can explain to you. You have no idea how bad I-"

Suddenly PB grasped the lapels of his jacket and yanked him into a forceful kiss. He felt so conflicted as he kissed her back. He wanted to take everything back- to go back in time to when things were simpler. To when he still had Susan. To before he was all junked up. But he had been just a boy to her then. So why was it now that he was finally a man he didn't feel worthy of her?

She pulled away her face inches from his and her eyes brimming with tears. Her voice was just as angry and demanding as her kiss had been "Don't you think I've noticed that you're different since you got back from The Beyond? That's what this is about, right?"

"I don't think I-"

"Listen, Finn." she interrupted, "I know things are messed up, but you don't have to go through it alone. Do you think I'll only like you if you're some invincible hero? We may have been made differently, but I'm part human and I know enough about it to know that everyone has baggage."

"I'm not the same dude you knew."

"Finn, it would be a very annoying world if everyone was the same as they were when they were 14."

"I love you, Peebs, I just need some time to-"

"I'm sorry, Finn, but I don't know if I love you. Maybe you're right. I just have to figure out if you're the guy I thought you were."

Finn's breath hitched in his throat as he croaked out, "Ok. We'll have some time, then?"

Princess Bubblegum nodded curtly and stormed off without another word. Finn just stood there regretting every word he'd just said, but also seeing no way that it could have been avoided.

He looked at all the people dancing and having fun, remembering when he could join them so easily. It was a major accomplishment he kept up his party rep at his 17th birthday party, but he just didn't have the energy to keep it up any more. The feelings of paranoia, despair, and isolation that he'd felt so many months in The Beyond crept up on him like a silent fart. He trudged off into the woods to destroy inanimate objects just to stay sane.

Marceline and FP twirled through the sky to the cheery little ukulele song. FP giggled wildly every time Marcie would spin her out in her dress so she could watch the mermaid bottom twirl below her and the umbrella above her.

They glided down a little before the song ended. FP was still not to full strength and got a little hungry. As Marcie sat her down and went to get some red punch, FP's crimson eyes zeroed in on a familiar pink face.

Princess Bubblegum had pulled Finn into a passionate kiss like none she had ever received from him. How _dare_ they flaunt their passion at someone else's wedding. She counted the seconds that bubble head ate her ex boyfriend's face- and that he reciprocated. _One. Two. Three. Four._

She bolted up, the people around her jumping back as sparks began shooting from her hair. She noticed their alarm and shook her head quickly, a soft countenance overtaking her again.

"What am I thinking? I haven't thought about Finn that strongly in years." she muttered to herself. She reminded herself that they had every right to date since they had, after all, dated before her and Finn did when PB was 13. Also, FP herself was dating PB's ex currently, so it was all kind of a convoluted mess. She reminded herself that she was a better, more rational person now. She wanted more friends now that those from her own kingdom had abandoned her.

She looked up and saw that the couple had pulled away from each other and had turned slightly so that now she could see Finn's face. She could see longing and love in his eyes that she had never once seen before he walked off into the forest. Suddenly all of her rationality was gone. All the rejection from her family, her kingdom, the world outside her kingdom, and from Finn suddenly all felt like fresh wounds. Within seconds she didn't even think of those reasons any more. All she knew was that she wanted a very specific type of red for her next meal.

"_His blood." _She hissed under her breath.

If only the letter from the Flame King had been clearer; Marceline did not know that it would just take one small negative emotion to activate the transformation from a sweet, albeit temperamental girl into a full force of evil and destruction.

She ran towards the direction he had gone into the forest before she exploded into a ball of flame and towered above the trees. Her eyes glowed like a bloody sun. The flames shooting from her were so hot that they turned white. The only thing in the land sharper than her growing talons were her thirsty fangs dripping with venom. Her once sweet voice had mutated into a haggard growl with every heavy breath.

Since it was daylight, Finn might have been safe once that little umbrella became too small for her. However, so very little is known of Vampire-flame person hybrids since the few in existence were all exiled or slain.

Not even Marceline could have known that the sun only made Flame Princess stronger.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14 From Death**

_Author's note: This chapter alternates first person perspectives throughout the fight. I would never be so inconsistent in POV's from chapter to chapter in an original novel, but I love that people get to play with them in fanfics. I think switching perspectives in a scene with a lot of action can give a bigger picture to the reader of what's happening._

**Princess Bubblegum-** I knew Finn was different, but I never in two-quadrillion years would expect him to _break up with me._ Was that even what happened? Were we even together in the first place? My face was flushed and I stuffed my mouth angrily with cocktail shrimp at the bar when I heard what sounded like a burning inferno and the creaking sound of several trees breaking and falling at once. Everyone around me heard it and spun towards the forest East of the Candy Kingdom to see it; Flame Princess. She was 20 feet tall, and the white flames around her shot up to almost twice as high. She was a walking force of destruction, burning ever inch of the forest I explored as a child.

I didn't understand. She had no reason to be angry. She was supposed to be safe now; why would Marceline bring her here like this? I heard a familiar fighting scream that I had come to know well coming from below her. I clutched my heart as it hit me; _she was after Finn._ I had no time to be freaked out and took only a second to get my wits about me as Finn had taught me in training. This is easier said than done with everyone starting to run and scream around you in pandemonium. As much as I wanted to charge towards her to see if Finn was alright, I knew I'd have no chance without my bow, and I ran up to the castle to get it.

**Finn the Human- **"Oh my glob, FP!" I dodged this white hot fireball she shot at me by inches. "Stop being a flipping psychopath!"

That dame didn't even answer me! She just kept smashing, shooting, and destroying trees to try and scorch me! If it hadn't have been for all my years of wicked awesome fighting, I would have died in seconds. I knew I couldn't keep it up long, though. I was exerting all my energy just to dodge her blows and all she had to do was sweep her arm back and forth.

I had to take action and put her out. I ran into the trees and scrambled my butt up one. I was lucky that she didn't see me. I looked up at her peeping through the tree tops for me. She looked like a hungry animal- like she wasn't even thinking. How was I supposed to kill her? What if she was possessed or some junk? Was there some way for me to kill what was inside of her and not kill her? I knew FP had a temper, but I knew her well enough to know she wasn't murderous.

She was not math with waiting for me to pop out of the trees. She let out this gigantic roar that shook the ground and echoed inside my chest guts. Then she just started destroying all the trees; I guess she knew I was in one of them.

"Frak, this lady's gonna toast my buns!" I muttered to myself. I jumped from the tree and ran deeper into the forest, pulling the Enchiridion from my bag as I went. There was something math in there about possession. I slapped myself for waiting until my near death to study. That was always my main weakness as a hero- not being able to sit still long enough to read about my enemies. That's why Peebles would have made such a great ally once she was trained. I flinched as I thought about her, hoping to glob she was ok.

I knelt down and thumbed manically through the book. FP was far behind, but the smoke and heat from the blazing forest was rapidly approaching. Finally I saw it;

"To exorcise a demon, draw blood from the person that the possessed truly loves. Once the possessed person smells it, he or she will become stronger and be more likely to separate their body from the demon. This separation will only last a few seconds, so that will be the only time you have to kill the spirit of the demon. This can only be done by plunging a sword made of demon's blood into its heart."

I couldn't believe my luck that I already had such a rare weapon and thanked my super cool, hardcore dad up in glob world. The only thing that was major blow was that I had no idea who FP loved. I looked down and saw I already had several open scrapes and little burns all over my body, so it couldn't have been me.

The most likely person was Marceline. They were all mushy at the wedding. The thought of trying to convince a vampire to spill her blood to defeat an even more powerful freak vampire didn't sound easy, but it was the only thing I could do.

I skirted the perimeter of the fire back towards where the wedding was held. I didn't have to run my gams that far, though; Marcie was already floating in the air, a good 20 feet away from FP.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING, FLAME PRINCESS?" she screeched. Then she busted into her scary demon form and body slammed the princess. I thought some epic fight would happen, but a second later I heard Marcie's pain cries as she crumpled back onto the ground in her small, pretty form.

I couldn't see her body in the bushes, but she did not get up, and she did not make any more noise. I thought for sure she was immune to FP's flames now that she was a vampire, but maybe things were different with FP in this possessed form. What if Marcie was dead? I felt my vision blur with hot, angry tears as Marceline's fanged grin flashed through my eyeballs from a hundred different memories at once. I struggled to steady my breathing and drew my sword.

"YHEAHHHHHHHH!" I screeched. I charged towards FP's leg and slashed a deep cut in it. I didn't even touch her, but just being close left scorch marks all along my arms. She let out this horrible moan and grabbed her thigh.

She arched her back all crazy and stretched her face like something had hit her back there, too. As she turned around, I saw PB standing there, her bow still raised up towards FP's chest. I took in only a second to take in PB's righteous form. She had ripped her formal yellow dress on the sides up to her thighs so that she could run faster and the strap to her quiver was slung between her breasts, the flethchings of the arrows visible above her right shoulder. Her legs were spread in perfect stance. She drew a new arrow, loaded, and released it within 2 seconds. Her face was mad with passion and ferocity, shiny strands from her fancy up do falling down all around it. The only thing I was afraid of was her remembering to move in combat so she didn't get hit, because one hit in this fight meant death or mortal injury. I took advantage of the beast being distracted by PB, and struck her with my sword again, ignoring the searing pain on my arms every time.

**Marceline- ** I sat up shakily as I regained my senses. I was the Vampire Queen, and yet here was one vampire that I was completely powerless towards. Any move I made towards her, even in my most terrifying form, and she would burn me. She was like a walking sun- my kryptonite (that's just a little allusion to mythology my mom taught me about before that version of the world was wiped out). This must have been why all the flame-hybrids had all been killed or exiled- because the other vampires are powerless to keep them in check. It pained me to think of killing her, but what choice was there? This was no longer the sweet princess I knew.

I looked up to see PB and Finn on either side of my monstrous girlfriend, cutting her down and looking no bigger than Me-Mow compared to her. I then heard hundreds of tiny, nasal war cries and looked to my left to see the Marshmellow soldiers of the candy kingdom charging forward and hurling candy cane spears at her. Wedding guest came running through the forest with buckets of water, each tossing them on her with a sizzling noise and her pained hisses. Rainicorns shot streams of colorful light at her, which did absolutely nothing, but looked cool. I thought for a few seconds that together they might actually be able to take her down.

I was wrong, though. She looked weaker only for a bit before a look of insane anger overcame her and she blasted into a flame just as big as she was at first. Jake could make himself the size of giant bucket and drench her, but I saw no sign of him. He and Lady must have snuck away at their reception before the chaos started.

I had nothing left to try; I had to appeal to the real girl who I thought I knew. I shouted up at her, desperate for her to hear me. "Flame Princess! Stop this! You're not really mad at Finn! Look, if it changes anything, I love you, ok?" I took a deep breath and my voice cracked with emotion. "I love you!"

She didn't even look at me, although Finn and PB certainly glanced at me with shocked expressions before resuming their fighting. I could see that most of the people were tiring, whereas FP was just getting her second wind. They could not win. Finally, I thought of one way I could suffocate her flame.

It would require the deaths of millions of bats, though.

**Princess Bubblegum- **I tumbled out of the way of a hurling streak of fire and slung another arrow towards FP's chest. They were hurting her, but compared to her size they were just pin pricks, even in the most vulnerable areas.

With every shot I ducked and every arrow I shot I could feel fatigue creeping up on me. The fight had gone on far too long for my weak candy body. The bow got harder and harder to draw. Each attack from the flame princess got a little closer, and more often than not I found myself trying to gain my breath from dodging the last attack than preparing for the next one. I could see the rest of my citizens, coming back with another round of buckets, were starting to tire as well.

Suddenly night began to fall on us at a rapid pace. The warmth from the sun disappeared and even so close to FP it was still noticeably cooler. I looked at her and noticed that she became exceptionally smaller in this form when the sun was blocked. I recognized the sound of the screeching and the millions of tiny flaps. I smiled as a shot of hope welled up inside me while I watched Marcie's army of bats. I looked over as she rose into the sky, her hair floating ethereally around her. She raised her arms slowly and then shot them downward dramatically. The bats followed her motion and descended upon Flame Princess.

Suddenly I heard a long moan of pain from Finn. I looked to see that he had been knocked to the ground, a bad third degree burn on his cheek.

"Finn!" I shouted, running towards him. Before I could reach him, though, FP's other arm shot towards me. In a wave of heat, I felt myself fly through the air and slam against a large rock. A tremendous pain pulsed through my head and my burned skin as I felt myself slip from consciousness.

**Bat 1-** We must sacrifice ourselves to defeat the enemy for our mighty queen! Charge!

**Bat 2- **Huzzah!

**Bat 3-** SCREEEE!

**Bat 2,978-** Well, my body is being controlled by forces other than myself to hurl myself into a giant flame lady. *%#!

**Finn-** I pushed myself up and ignored the white hot pain on my face. It was crazy to watch all those little bat bros putting out FP's flame. I knew if they put it out completely, she would be killed, though.

"Are you gonna slay her, Marceline?" I shouted up at her.

She responded, but kept her eyes on her bats. "What choice do I have?" Her voice was strained and weird.

"I want to try something, but I need you to trust me!"

"Just spit it out, weenie!" She was shaking all over her body, but I'm not sure if it was from keeping all the bats coming or from the pain of watching FP whither in front of her.

"You need to spill your blood! And there needs to be enough for her to smell it!"

"Are you kidding me? That's the last thing I should be doing right now!"

"I said to trust me!"

Finally she looked at me and I saw her expression change when she saw the surety in my face. It was too quiet for me to hear, but I saw her mouth "I trust you, Finn."

She dragged her sharp nails along her neck. Blood began to pour out and drip down into the giant fire. The power of keeping up the string of bats and the blood loss had wrecked her within seconds and she fell from the sky into dying flames that the bats had snuffed with their little furry bods.

I ran to catch her, but I didn't make it in time. She landed on the ground with a large thud, burns spreading across her body from the still hot ground and embers around her. That pool of blood just kept coming; she must have eaten a lot of red at the wedding.

I heard a screeching behind me. I had almost forgotten about the demon! I spun around and drew my sword. That's when I saw it- Flame Princess sitting on the ground with a dazed look, back to her normal, sweet appearance, and next to her the giant spirit of the demon we had just fought.

I charged forward with a righteous bellow and leapt into the air. My sword plunged into its chest and rent the creature in half. I felt the searing pain of burns on my body as I ripped through the spirit and fell on the ground.

Now that the fight was over, I finally took time to notice that my entire bod was in searing pain and extremely hot. I took off my hat just to cool off and every movement was awful. When I tried to remove my shirt, I noticed that it had been seared in many places to my raw flesh and I just decided to leave it on. I looked around to see what casualties had occurred. I heard the wild cries of Flame Princess, and looked to see her running over to Marcie to hold her in her lap. I wished over and over again in my head that she was still alive.

Several candy people were around us. Many were melted, but I had seen PB and her team reconstruct worse. Those crazy Marshmellow soldiers were already peeling off their delicious burnt skin to reveal fresh, sticky undercoats. I still had not found the main person I was looking for. "Peebs?" I shouted weakly.

There was no answer. After scanning the landscape again I noticed a flash of pink in the grass beneath a boulder.

"Bubblegum!" I struggled to crawl towards her, but I couldn't move. I screeched and squirmed, but I couldn't even crawl and inch. I used up all of my energy trying and soon I just sprawled on the ground, slipping in and out of sleep, and using all my strength to keep my gaze on PB.

**Flame Princess- **"Marceline! Please wake up!" I said in a small voice through sticky, painful tears that sizzled on my cheeks.

I looked around at the destruction that I'd caused. Melted candy people everywhere. A fifth of the forest in smoldering ashes. Finn almost burned beyond recognition and barely moving. Princess Bubblegum laying in a tattered, smoking heap- possibly dead. Worst of all, my Marcie- in my arms and not opening her eyes, her blood spilling on me. At least we were in the shade.

I tried to remember how all this happened, but everything was so fuzzy. I struggled to recall anything and a few pieces flashed back to me. My eyes widened and I shook Marceline a little bit. "Marcie, I remember now! I remember you saying you loved me, ok? I love you, too!"

She didn't respond. I hugged her face to mine and sobbed into her bleeding neck, "I love you so much."

I heard a low moan escape her and I sat back with a gasp. She reached her hand up to her neck and I saw the cut heal completely within seconds. She smiled as she saw the astonishment on my face, and I knew it must be a vampire trick I hadn't leaned yet.

"So you love me, huh? You won't try to kill me before every time you say that, will you?" she chuckled a little bit.

I knew she was joking, but there was a grain of truth to it. "I-I don't know. I turned into a monster and I couldn't control it." A sobering thought then occurred to me. "Maybe I should be exiled."

"There won't be any need for that. Finn killed the demon inside of you that was seeded during your vampire transformation." She hugged me gently before standing- a move so tender for her that I tensed with surprise.

"You knew this might happen?" I was bewildered that she wouldn't tell me.

She thought and chose her words carefully. "No, not before it actually did, but I pieced together the information."

"Ok…." I'd have to ask her to elaborate later. "I don't know that they'll ever forgive me, though." I looked towards the candy kingdom.

"Well, you'll have an eternity to prove yourself-" she said nonchalantly, "if their forgiveness matters to you, that is."

I shook my head. "I am a bad person. It is just in my nature to cause people pain."

"Do you think I'm evil?" Marcie asked suddenly.

"No, of course not!" I looked up in shock.

"Then clearly our nature does not define us. My dad is Lord of the Nightosphere, after all."

I sighed, but I still couldn't help just wanting to crawl in a hole and hide forever. "Maybe you're right…." I mumbled.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm always right. Now let's get all these squishy mortals back to Doctor Princess in the Candy Kingdom."

Marcie started to check on the casualties around her, but I found it hard to move as I processed the sight before me. "What if they're dead? Finn and PB?"

My voice had come out barely above a whisper, but Marceline heard it. I only know because she froze for a second and I saw her eyes flash to the two wounded mortals with fear. She said nothing, though. Marcie's moment of tenderness was over.

We started to carry people back when a woman I did not recognize picked up Finn and then PB. She was tall and muscled, with matted blond hair down to her waist and a long, tattered dress. Despite her rugged physique, her eyes were small, docile, and the color of the mid day sky.

Apparently Marceline did recognize her. She let out a gasp and almost dropped the unconscious, gloppy mess of a melted candy person from her arms.

**Finn-** I fought to keep my eyes open. I just had to find out if Marcie and PB were ok. I heard Marceline's voice and a sense of relief washed over me. I felt my bod wiggling a little and realized someone was carrying me. I turned my head with all the strength I had and saw PB's body slung over a huge shoulder of the woman carrying us. Her arms dangled lifelessly and her hair swung back and forth from the lady's gait.

I looked up at the face of the woman and decided immediately I must be having a nutso croak dream. The face of Susan Strong looked into my blurred view as I was pulled down into sleep again.


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15 The Family**

_Author's note: back to our default Princess Bubblegum POV here._

I felt like a dull pressure in the back of my head and heard muffled distant voices, like I was under water. There was a soft ringing in my ears. My mouth tasted like bitter, too-long-chewed gum, and my body was so stiff that at first I could only move my fingers.

I felt the material under me and smiled at the comforting softness of my own bed. That must mean that we weren't in danger anymore. I knew we had just been in a huge fight with FP, but I couldn't remember the details. Who was there? Jake and Lady were mysteriously missing. That seemed odd. I remembered everyone else who was there and the image of being surrounding by bats and seeing Finn get struck by a wall of fire were the last things I remembered. I forced my eyes open to see if there was someone able to tell me that he was ok.

Just as I opened my eyes my ears popped and I was able to hear and see clearly. My mother was talking in her animated, warm fashion with two humans on the couch. I almost screamed at the sight of Susan Strong and Finn sitting together. I stared at Susan, back from the dead, enraptured and listening to my mother's story while Finn leaned contently on her arm. Susan was missing her kitty hat and was munching loudly on an armful of candy. Finn didn't have a single burn or scar on his body from the fight and he had a peaceful smile on his face. This didn't make any sense. Susan was dead. Finn should be severely burned (and I should, too, but my skin looked just as smooth and pink as ever).

"Was I dreaming?" I asked. My voice came out dry and barely above a whisper, but it was enough that they all heard me and looked up.

"Bubblegum!" Finn shouted and ran over to my bed, glomping me in a mighty hug. "I'm so glad you're finally awake!"

I cleared my throat as Mama squeezed beside Finn to hug me, too. Susan stood and smiled politely at me, offering me a half eaten chocolate bar.

"Is that really you, Susan?" I said blearily.

"Yes, Susan is alive." she said happily.

"You've been in a coma for a week, candy-cheeks." Mama said with a worried expression on her face. I blushed at her using her nickname for me when I was a child.

"An entire week? So then, the candy people? Marceline? Flame Princess?"

"There all just fine." said Mama, squeezing my arm. "I used a special burn antidote on everyone who needed it and our medical team put all the melted people back together."

Finn squeezed himself in front of me and started talking in a fast, hyper, manically excited way. "Yeah, I totally looked up this way to separate the demon inside FP from her in the Enchirideon, which I got thanks to you! Then I totally ripped that demon in half! Oh, and your fighting was amazing, Peebs! You've got some raw, righteous talent!"

"Yes, Finn here is very devoted to you, Bonnibelle." said Mama, pulling the white ear on his hat affectionately. "Except for when he went to the Noodler, he's been spending every moment here."

"You went to the Noodler?" I shouted in shock and sat up.

"Well, yeah. I didn't wanna be all jumpy and weird, but I never wanted to go to the Noodler before because I didn't want to forget Susan or the strategies I learned about fighting the Lizard people in case they ever picked crap with us again."

"So, then what changed your mind?"

"Well, first I heard Susan's story right after we got you stabilized here. Then I wrote a letter to Fionna asking if she wanted to have the memories erased and she said she was math with that. She's coming right away to see us."

"I don't understand. How is Susan alive?"

"I only fake dead. They fix me. They train me. Then they die. I leave." Susan was a woman of few words, but I would have appreciated a little more detail.

"Wait," I said, "so you killed them all?"

"No," said Mama, "are you alright if I explain the story, Susan?"

She nodded and stuffed more candy in her mouth.

"So," said Mama, "we did not understand Susan's full story, either. Then that vampire friend of yours offered us some very rare memory powder. I don't know how she got so much of it!" she mused.

I cringed inwardly remembering Marcie revealing to me that it was vampire dandruff.

"Anyways," continued Mama, "I did not think it was a good idea for Finn to visit the memory since it was so personal for him, so I went and offered to tell the story when I awoke. I saw Susan shot from her perspective. Now, although she did lose consciousness from the blood loss, the Lizard people were able to save her."

"How?" I asked. "I thought those metal sticks always killed."

"Not necessarily. She was shot in the upper left portion of her chest, just above her vital organs. They only spent the expense to save her because she was over twice the size as them and they figured she would make a better soldier than Finn or Fionna once she was trained.

"They isolated her to be sure Finn and Fionna never saw her. They assumed that since she was the oldest and largest, that she was the leader of the group. They trained her, tortured her, and fed her so that she was barely above starving. It was an awful thing to see, much less to experience." Mama shuddered and paused a little before resuming her story. "After Finn and Fionna broke out, things started to go downhill for the Lizard people. An epidemic spread. Within a manner of weeks they were all bedridden. Susan noticed they were all dying around her and was able to just walk out of her enclosure. She spent the next few months trying to find her way back to Ooo, thinking both you and Fionna must have gone back there."

"Of course." I said, wondering why I had not seen it before. "The Lizard people were isolated for several generations, so they must have had a very low resistance to foreign bacteria. On top of that, the genetic variety must have been very small, making it more likely that they would all be susceptible to an epidemic instead of just some of them."

"Yes, and it was also a disease that lay dormant for a while before activated, making it impossible for them to know about it and quarantine those affected. By the time the first cases manifested themselves the whole camp was infected."

Finn and Susan exchanged vacant expressions and shrugged, eating candy together.

"Wow!" I said, leaning back on my pillow. "I guess we don't have to worry about them anymore! So are you going to go to the Noodler, too, Susan?"

"Susan has not decided yet." She said somberly.

"Why not?"

"Susan does not remember any life before living with the fish people. She is no wanting to erase more."

She had a good point. I had seen Susan in Finn's subconscious memory helping her sister with baby Finn and Fionna, build a ship for them to find a home in, and then get separated at sea. I then saw her bring Finn to us at the castle when she knew she could no longer keep him safe. Susan, however, remembered nothing of her brave past, and no one knew why.

Suddenly a beam of light shot through the window a hit Finn right in between the eyes, leaving a little black mark. "Ow!" said Finn, rubbing his forehead.

"Finn, are you ok?" I said while I grabbed his hand. Susan started yelling incoherently at the window.

"Yeah, I'm fine." he said. "It's just a prism-gram from Jake. Hold up while it converts the light waves into brain waves."

There was a tense pause before Finn jumped up and said "YEEUHH! Princess, do you think you're strong enough to make it to Jake and Lady's house?"

"What? Right now? Why did they bail at the wedding? We could have used them to fight FP!"

"They left because when they were dancing up in the sky Lady went into labor."

"SHE WAS PREGNANT?" I shouted so loud that Susan dropped all her candy and cringed in the corner.

"Yes," said Mama, "Lady had no idea! She laid 2 eggs the same day as the wedding!"

"Yeah, and Jake just told me they're hatching!" Finn shouted, "I wanna be there when I become unclefied!"

I stood up slowly with a little dizziness and graciously ate some of the candy Susan had picked off the floor and shoved towards me. Their house wasn't far, though, and I wouldn't miss Lady's newborns for the world.

I sighed and stretched. "Finn, summon The Morrow. Let's go see your unclefication!"


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16 New Beginnings**

_Author's note: Jake and Lady have released their wedding portrait for the land of Ooo all to see! It is on Deviantart under the username lizzyleefree. Lady also, much to PB's chagrin, released a picture from when one of PB's experiments went wonky as a child (it includes anthropomorphized Lady)!_

_This last chapter is in 3__rd__ person omniscient POV. Aside from the occasional oneshot, I will now be devoting my energies to original fiction and school. However, I have purposefully left each couple with their own awaiting adventure to undertake. Any capable writer wanting the story to continue, I'd love to read what you come up with! Of course, I own none of the adventure time characters, except for the few OCs (rest in peace, bat #2,978). The second song in this chapter has original lyrics, but the melody is from a song by Adele called "Make you feel my love." Thank you for all the reviews and taking the time to read my fics; it has made me more confident and motivated as a writer!_

Jake and Lady lived in a large house made of clouds directly above the Candy Kingdom. The walls were decorated liberally with rainbow streaks and weapons and tokens of Jake's adventures with Finn. It took Jake a while to get used to the floors being so bouncy and soft, but Lady had never been happy living so close to the ground. She loved the open space in every direction that allowed her to fly freely and see for miles. While Jake couldn't fly, it was easy for him to stretch himself to the ground in a manner of seconds, or to ride on Lady's back if they were going out together.

He wondered if the pups would be able to fly, stretch or both. He turned back towards the eggs. They had spots of multiple colors, were about the size of Beemo, and they had been progressively wiggling faster and faster ever since he sent the prism-grams out. One even had a small hairline crack in it.

"Yo, homie, you a dad yet?" Finn's voice yelled from the front of the house.

"Nah man, hurry on up here!" Jake shouted down, wagging his tail. He was excited to see his pups, excited to see Lady as a mom, and excited to see Finn as an uncle. He couldn't even remember the last time his tail had wagged so much.

Finn came up the stairs, carrying a woozy looking pink princess on his back, with Susan and Beemo close behind. Everyone chattered at once- hugging, greeting, and leaning in to admire the eggs. Lady was happy to see Bubblegum, but admonished her for coming only 30 minutes after waking from a coma and asked sweet little Beemo to fetch her some peaches and cheese.

"Wow, Lady." said Finn, peeking over the coils of Lady's body to look at the two eggs she was nestling. "These things are awesome!"

Lady smiled and nodded her thanks.

"Dude, Lady's parents told me that if we talk to them it will help them hatch!" Jake stretched his body over Lady's body with Finn. "Let's say stuff to them!"

"Umm, ok, bro. Yo, eggs, what's up? This is your uncle Finn and I play awesome balloon music! You wanna hear some?"

While Finn made little squealing noises on his balloon Jake shouted "Eggos, bleep blop beep bleep bloop! This is your dad!" Finn added some beat boxing to his balloon music, Jake began to rap made up word-sounds, and Lady cheerfully played chords on her viola. Soon the music swelled into a little concert.

More people arrived. Lady's parents made their way upstairs and after a while Marceline and Flame Princess came.

"Yo, we came as soon as we could after your message, Jake! I see you're laying down some jams for the eggs! See, FP, I told you it was a good idea to bring my bass!" said Marcie, joining in the music with some lulling chords.

"Yes, we're very excited to see the pups!" said Flame Princess sweetly. "I thank you so much for not being afraid to invite us over and I assure you that I'm not possessed anymore."

"Oh, yeah, I heard about that." said Jake. "Sorry we had to bail, but I'm just glad no bods got dead-toasted. Well, except those bats, but I hear bat heaven is nice."

"Hmm, yeah." said FP uncomfortably, scratching the back of her neck. It was going to take a long time to feel accepted since she had burned down a fifth of the forest, even though most people had been surprisingly forgiving.

Everyone gathered to where they could see the eggs, half of the guests floating above them. After what seemed to be forever, loud cracks started to split the surface of the eggs.

"Bleeggg!" said Finn impatiently, hopping up and down, "Can't we just smash the eggs for them?"

Lady pushed him back gently and said something in a quick, reprimanding tone. Jake translated- "No, she says they need to hatch themselves to strengthen their horns." Jake then turned to Lady with a surprised look, "You think they'll have horns?"

Lady shrugged. In that same minute Jake's question was answered. A short, pointy, golden yellow horn shattered the shell of the egg. Every one began shouting encouragement to the strange, hybrid infant. The horn shoved its way around, making a larger and larger hole until finally the ranipup popped out.

He was a mix of Jake and Lady in every way, coated in Jake's golden fur, a dog's tail, and Lady's sweet face. Despite not being rainbow colored, the little ranipup sneezed, sending an uncontrolled jet of rainbow light from his horn that hit poor Beemo in the face. Lady leaned into lick the afterbirth off her young and cooed a calming lullaby in his ear. The little pup burrowed himself in her flowing mane, making whimpering puppy noises.

Only minutes afterward, a white horn broke the barrier of the second egg. The second baby was rainbow colored, but with Jake's dog face and floppy jowls. She had rainbow colored fur, and a mane to match her mom's. A sweet, pigeon-like cooing sound came from her lips and Jake picked her up and held her up to his face.

Finn watched Jake transform before him, enraptured with his little daughter. "Jacqueline." he said quietly before he hugged her to him. Lady cradled their son, looked up to Jake, and said "Bae." It was a Korean name meaning "inspiration."

"Jacqueline and Bae. Cool." said Finn quietly. "Can I hold one?"

Lady smiled and handed Bae to Finn slowly, looking a little nervous to let him go. Finn cradled the pup a little awkwardly at first and then said "Yo, man, you can't see if you don't open your eyes!"

Lady chuckled and mumbled something.

"Hmm?" said Finn.

Jake said "She says they won't be able to open their eyes for another few days and that you have a lot to learn about babies."

"Well, to be fair, Lady, human babies open their eyes right away, so there wasn't really a way for him to know that." said Bubblegum, holding Jacqueline with a big smile. "Although, humans can't walk for a whole year. I like that rainicorn colt-puppies both learn to get themselves around sooner than that."

"It just means we'll be getting them out of trouble sooner." said Lady to PB.

"Well, Lady's right. I don't know much about babies. I know that they poop." said Finn. "So, Jake, what was it like watching Lady lay these guys?"

"Oh, umm," said Jake nervously, "It was raw, beautiful, and it made me love her more than ever." Lady smiled graciously.

Jake then pulled Finn into the other room and said "Just a heads up, bro, watching her lay eggs was the grossest, scariest thing I've ever seen. I'm just letting you know what to expect, because when you have a dame of your own laying eggs, you _have_ to say it's beautiful, or else things get a lot scarier. Got that?"

Finn nodded and left the room more confused about childbirth and women than ever.

XXX

"Dad?" shouted Marceline through the hole to the Nightosphere she'd just opened.

"Yeah, honey?"

"I want you to meet my girlfriend!"

"What?" he said with surprise, poking his head out of the portal, "Marcie, you've _never_ introduced me to anyone you've dated."

Marceline sighed heavily and whined, "That's because your overbearing and embarrassing, dad! It was important to _her_ to meet you."

"Hello, Mr. Abadeer!" FP said with a perky wave as she stepped up to the portal.

"Whoa!" said the demon overlord, looking over the sweet, fiery, but very unusual hybrid girl in all her blue-flamed glory. His eyes rested on the two raised bite marks on her neck. "Great pick, Marceline. Is that a vampire-flame person?"

"She sure is!" said Marceline proudly, "More importantly, though, she's totally rad and artistic."

"Well, we could definitely use someone like you in the Nightoshere! You'd feel right at home there- the place is made of fire!"

FP gave Marcie a glance who subtly shook her head and stuck her tongue out. "Um, no thanks, Mr. Abadeer. Actually, Marceline and I have a different quest to embark on."

"Oh, really. Lemme hear it." he said. His fangs stuck out as he smiled and his too-big eyes looked a little bit demented. As FP looked at him she suddenly found it hard to find her voice.

Marceline chuckled. "You can tell him, FP. I swear he's not as scary as he looks." She mussed up his slicked back hair in a headlock and he batted her away with a faint hiss. When she finally backed up he had a sullen look on his face and intense bed head. "See? Not scary."

"Well, there are a few other hybrids like myself," stated FP, "but they've all been exiled."

"Oh, why's that?" said Mr. Abadeer with increasing interest. He was certainly giving FP more of a listening ear than any of Marcie's other friends.

"Well, everyone thinks they're evil."

"What's wrong with that?" said Marceline's dad in all honesty.

"Because they're not! I was acting really evil, too, but Finn found out from his hero book or whatever that the joining of two such opposite species causes a demon to grow inside the new hybrid."

"Finn, Finn…he's that loser mortal you hang with, right Marcie?"

"He's not a loser, dad!" she said angrily before shaking her head. That was besides the point. "Dad, we're going to find the exiled hybrids and exorcise the demons out of them. Then we're going to take all of them back to the Flame Kingdom and show them that we're not evil. FP's whole family abandoned her because they thought she would be evil forever, but we want to make peace with them."

"Well, do you two girls realize that is going to take a long time? It might be a hundred years just to find all the hybrids."

"Well, dad, if we've got anything, it's time." smirked Marcie.

"Well, ok then. If that's what makes you happy instead of running the Nightosphere for your old man," he gave a melancholy sigh, "then I support you, honey."

"Cool, then teach us all you know about exorcising demons."

"What and betray my own? They don't want their secrets out!" he said with a shocked gasp.

"Come on daddy, please?" said Marcie in her sweetest tone. "They're just going to end up down there with you, anyway!"

"Hmm, good point. We could use some more demons down here to terrorize the souls that misbehave. Alright girls, come into my office!"

"Oh thank you, so much Mr. Abadeer!" said FP excitedly.

"Please, just call me Lord of the Nightosphere. I've got some fries cooking up if you girls want some."

XXX

Beemo sat on Finn's bed, bouncing a tennis ball off the wall repeatedly. Finn could never sit still as long as Jake could, and now that Jake was a father he wasn't getting to spend as much time with them through his system's video games. Suddenly he heard a familiar motor coming into the room. She rolled her eyes and ducked under the bed.

"Beemo?" said the robot looking around the room. "NEPTR knows he heard you in here. Please come out!"

"What do you want?" Beemo said from under the bed.

"NEPTR is sorry about embarrassing you at the wedding."

Beemo walked out from under the bed, her pixilated eyes furrowed in anger. "You did more than embarrass me! You leaked oil all over my dress!" This was the robot equivalent of being urinated on.

"Oh really? Wow, NEPTR does not remember that part."

Beemo started to walk away.

"Wait!" cried NEPTR, "To prove NEPTR is sorry he made you a pie. And to show his sincerity he will go against his pranking programming and not even throw it at you!"

Beemo smiled. The pie was of course of no practical use to her, but she loved being treated like she was human, and she liked that NEPTR had realized that. She toddled over, sat down, and dipped her hand in the goopy pie before smearing it on her screen. "Mmm! It is a delicious pie, thank you!"

"You are welcome, Beemo. NEPTR likes you and he wants to prank people with you."

Beemo smiled again. She couldn't stay mad at him. "Ok, but I have to finish my pie first! I am very hungry!"

XXX

Fionna and Cake had finally made it back to Ooo, along with a good friend of Fionna's.

"Oh, Marshall Lee, I'm so stoked for you to meet everyone!" she squealed unintelligibly as they walked.

He floated past her and pinched her plump cheek a little harder than she liked.

"Hey!" she shouted, punching the air as he flew just out of her reach.

"What I can't help it!" he shrugged with a fanged grin.

"You can't help pinching my face?" shouted Fionna pointing to her red cheek, "That does not seem like a good quality for a boyfriend!"

"Well, you're just so cute when you're excited," he suddenly flew up to her face and whispered, "but you're even cuter when you're angry."

"Ummm…" said Fionna backing up unsurely.

"And when you're embarrassed." He laughed a little bit and kissed her cheek, red as a tomato, but no longer from the pinch. Marshall went back to floating ahead of her.

When Fionna had originally gone back to Aaa, it was to spend time with both Gumball and Marshall. They were both her buds and she missed them, but she had always tried to convince herself that Marshall was just a friend. She never thought he would like someone like her- so spazzy, short, and-well- _mortal._ Sure, he had that bad boy allure. His shaggy black hair that always fell over his eyes and the vampire arched his back when he ripped a chord on his guitar enamored her. Still, though, she wondered why he would be enamored with her.

When she got back, it seemed he was the one who missed her most out of both him and Gumball. Suddenly he wanted to hang out every day, which was unusual for his loner personality. Finally, after a particularly enlightening jazz session and far too many syrupy red strawberry sodas, she put their entire friendship on the line and kissed him.

And to her delighted surprise, he met her kiss with equal enthusiasm.

She just hoped her brother would not be too over protective about her dating a vampire. She wondered to herself as they walked how things had come with him and Princess Bubblegum.

XXX

"Ahh! They won't stop whimpering! What do we do, Finn?" PB was holding golden little Bae, who had learned to stretch pretty far just like his dad, and had an exasperated air about her.

Finn walked over and tucked a loose strand of hair back into PB's frazzled mane with the arm he wasn't using to hold Jacqueline. "I'm sure we'll think of something."

"Like what?" PB almost shouted, which only made Bae cry more, "They don't need to be changed, they don't like silly faces, they just ate, and we tried to burp them. What else is there?"

Jake had gone to the grocery kingdom, and Lady was taking a much needed and deserved nap, so PB had kindly offered her babysitting services (they insisted that Finn come with her if she needed help). She was starting to regret her generosity.

"Well…" Finn said unsurely before trailing off, blushing, and taking Jacqueline into the other room. That was enough for PB to figure out that he was hiding something and then she remembered what Jake had told him just before leaving.

"Finn, wait!" she ran to follow him into the kitchen. "Jake told you to just 'do what mom did' when they were tired! What did she do?"

"It doesn't matter!" said Finn nervously, "It probably wouldn't even work. I don't do it as math as she did."

"Jake seemed to think it would work. Come on, just tell me, Finny." PB spoke in her sweetest voice and stood a little closer to him than usual. She wasn't necessarily proud of getting him to do things for her this way, but she was desperate to get the pups to sleep.

"No way." said Finn shaking his head. "You're going to think it's lame."

"Anything you do to get these kids to sleep I'm going to think is amazing, Finn."

Finn shrugged and instructed PB to come sit with him on the couch. He set the squalling pup in his arms down and pulled a small golden music box out of his pack. Before PB could ask any questions, Finn looked up with a bright blush on his cheeks and said "Don't laugh, ok?"

PB nodded and Finn started to crank the music box and sing.

"Don't be weepy sleepy puppies.

Slip your slippers on your footies.

In the morning you'll get goodies,

Puppy hats and puppy hoodies.

No stripes or polka dots,

Heather gray and feather soft

Baby pink and baby blue,

All the draw strings you can chew."

Finn's voice was soft, deep, and lilting. The pups began to quiet and droop their eyelids the moment the lullaby started. He slowed down towards the end of the song and each word became softer and further apart as his head began to sink deeper in the couch.

PB watched his lips as he sang. His arm hugging Bae and Jacqueline in a warm, sleeping, ranipuppy heap on his lap. The shaggy lock of yellow hair peeking out of his hat. His thick eyelashes slowly fluttering closed over his blue eyes. She felt the vibration of his voice as she leaned her head gently on his chest. She almost felt like falling asleep and napping with them, but she sat straight up and shook her head vigorously, forcing herself to stay awake. She was working on a new Klobidyfliggerder for her lab and she promised herself she would work on the blueprints if the pups fell asleep.

As it turns out, she was not able to concentrate very well. Her eyes kept looking at Finn's chest silently move up and down and the pups kicking their little legs in their sleep. She was too afraid to ask him if anything was different since the wedding when he "broke up with her." He still acted fascinated with her, and treated her like she farted roses, but he suddenly acted too shy to kiss her, hold her, or do any of those couple things.

He began to stir after almost a half hour, and PB realized that she'd been just watching him sleep almost half that time. She was so embarrassed that she rushed quietly outside and sat on the edge of the puffy cloud patio to watch her busy, sugary kingdom bustle from below. She remembered her mother announcing the princess's return to health and the people erupting into cheers. PB had stepped up to give a speech to her subjects, informing them that the royal Ladie's ranipups were in good health as well, that Flame Princess was not one to be feared, and was to be seen as an ally to their kingdom from that time forward, and finally she publically thanked Finn for his heroics in using the Enchiridion to save them all in the time of need. She wondered why it was so easy to thank him in front of her kingdom, but not to ask him one simple question alone.

"Hey, Bubblegum." Finn said quietly behind her. "Can I plop my buns here?"

"Sure!" said PB a little too enthusiastically, motioning at the spot of cloud next to her. He hopped down before she said "The pups still asleep?"

"Yeah. Did I sound like a dorkus singing that lullaby?"

PB wanted to say that she never found him more attractive. That she loved hearing something from his childhood. That she loved that he was becoming such a good uncle. Instead she just smiled, looked away, and shook his head.

Finn sighed and suddenly looked very nervous. There was an awkward silence before finally he blurted out "I'm sorry!"

PB jumped a little at the sudden change in his tone. "For what, Finn?"

"I glopped up big time at the wedding."

"Well, I thought maybe you didn't want to date me. The wedding was not the ideal setting to say that, sure, but it's good that you said it." PB hung her head so that he couldn't read how much it bothered her.

Are you kidding?" Finn lifted her chin to look at him and his blue eyes were wide with shock, "The _only_ reason I left your room to see the Noodler was so that I felt like I could be with you and not be all junked up. It was crazy mad torture waiting for you to wake up. I felt so horrible that the last thing I ever said to you hurt you. I thought I'd go all wonky in the head if you never woke up. I even felt like it was my fault for some reason, because I know you got hurt running to help me…"

"Finn, I-" she was quiet when Finn looked at her, realizing he had more to say.

"Look, if you like me singing then can I sing something to you? I just want to show you that I mean it." He said it with such seriousness that was usually uncharacteristic of Finn that all PB could do was nod.

Finn ran into the house and brought out Jake's guitar. He stood next to her on the ledge of the cloud and hummed a few soft notes to make sure it was in tune. His voice started quiet and stilted, but grew in conviction with each line and each time he looked over at PB's encouraging smile.

"PB I'd like for you to be my muse

And I hope you know if you refuse

You'll be turning down a loyal man

Who loves you like no other can.

I don't blame you for not liking me

Back when I was just a boy.

I wasn't brave unless I had my sword,

Slaying beasts and evil overlords.

Princess I would like to be your knight,

Now that you've helped me make my past right.

I'll stroke your pink hair to help you sleep at night.

And slay zombies in any fight.

Bonnibelle would you please be my muse?

I hope to glob that you don't refuse,

Because I'm brave enough to tell you here.

I love you Bubblegum, dear."

There was a silence after Finn's song was ended. PB said nothing, but just stood up and walked slowly towards him. She stopped inches from his face and searched his nervous smile with her eyes like she was seeing him for the first time. She wondered when this had happened- when Finn had grown into such a strong, mature person. He was still weird and hyperactive most of the time, and still only 17, but somewhere along the line he had gained a new kind of bravery that he did not have before.

Finn was growing nervous with PB not saying anything and was about to excuse himself to go check on the pups and secretly bang his head on the wall from embarrassment. "Peebles, I'm going to-"

Before he could finish, though, Bubblegum had drawn him into a long, gentle kiss. He strung his hands through her hair and smelled the sweet candy smell that always surrounded her. She backed up with a teary smile.

"I love you, too, Finn. Yes, I want to date you."

"Ah, slaps yes!" Finn jumped up and drew her quickly into another energetic kiss before taking her hand to go back into the house.

They both stopped short, though, because there stood Jake with a smirk and arms full of groceries. Finn and PB began to stammer apologies for making out in his house but Jake just shrugged.

"Whatevs, guys, just help me with the food and I'll make some grubalisciousness! It's about time you guys kissed again!"

The blushing teens nodded and both grabbed armfuls of food without looking at each other.

Lady Rainicorn floated downstairs from her "nap," which had actually ended an hour ago. She leaned in towards her dog hubby and giggled, "Well they look embarrassed."

"Yeah, they sure do. All they needed was a few hours alone together. You think they'll ever figure out that's why we asked them both to babysit?"

Lady shrugged as she looked up at Finn glancing at PB as she crooned over Bae, who had just woken up. "Probably not."

Jake smiled as he looked at his little human brother, "Good for you, buddy."


End file.
